Son of Gato
by Sir Lucifer Morningstar
Summary: An edgy teenager pretending to be a psychopath pretending to be an edgier teenager pretending to be a bigger psychopath, is reincarnated into the world of Naruto with the powers of the Gamer. Chaos ensues.
1. Prologue

**Summary: An edgy teenager pretending to be a psychopath pretending to be an edgier teenager pretending to be a bigger psychopath, is sent into the world of Naruto, with the powers of the Gamer. Chaos ensues. DarkGrey!Gamer fic.**

 **WARNING: You are reading a work of fiction written by the devil. Just letting you know, because the devil writes what the devil writes.**

 **Oh, yeah, and possible mentions/scenes of graphic torture and inhumane acts and what not later on in the story. Also, First Fic.**

* * *

 **Prologue**

* * *

Once upon a time, it was told to both young and old, to both great and small, to both genius and nit-wit that it was a very, _very_ bad and utterly, horribly, cliché idea to begin a story with 'once upon a time.'

"Once upon a time" would indicate that I was about to cosset you with a daughty, insouciant fairy tale of the likes that would have you frolicking in a field of ideals and dreams, merry laughter, romance and adventure. It would imply that I would have you sighing in the perpetual bliss of a heroic saga that will leave your mind in a state of literary euphoria.

Allow me to render that illusion asunder.

Stories and fables come in all forms and sizes and there are tales out there that begin with what is essentially the 'beginning'. They start as their adventurer or hero rises from the ashes of his demise like a phoenix – complete with dramatic effect and tension – or as they return from the dead because fate and destiny willed it to be so.

Then we have tales that begin with the 'middle'. They unravel the mystery of the adventurer's past – flashbacks included – and they follow his journey into the future, to fight, to conquer, to fail, to love, to win, to live and eventually, to die – unless of course we're dealing with an immortal hero, which opens its own can of problems.

And then, there are tales that begin at the end. The hero has all but accomplished his goals and desires, and he faces his final obstacle, and in his mind, he ponders, 'How did it all come to this?'

Here, we would find out, through his own thoughts – and using flashbacks, once more, really useful those things are - how he had mystically transformed from being the youngest of his family to becoming a warrior king who had slayed a giant, or maybe how had he changed from being a spoiled prince, to the leader of a rebellion for the freedom of his people.

And of course, as I had come to discover, there are tales that neither begin at the start, the middle, or the end. For they are still unfolding, still changing, they are twisting and forming in nature, and they do not possess the feature of 'chronology'.

For these tales, Time is powerless and feeble, and would best be ascribed to the metaphor of a grumpy petulant child who has to seat in the back because he didn't call shotgun.

These tales are often greater than legends, more supreme than kings, and far, far superior to that of gods.

These are tales so rare, that to find them is a blessing, to unfold them, a miracle, but to _be_ in them?

An act of divine providence.

Is my tale one of such?

 _Hell-fucking-No_.

* * *

I died.

Of such fact I was certain, death was finality, it was the mysterious question that seemed to serve as the final stage of one's life. It was your last act, your coup de grace, your moment of reckoning. Whether you died with a smile on your face after accomplishing your hearts desires, with frightened eyes as you realize you never expected it coming, with a horrifying expression as you endured torture in your final moments – it mattered not. Death did not discriminate. Death did not pity. Death did not spare. Death did not care.

I knew I should be worried.

I knew that I should have been insane, or maybe, I should have been screaming up to the heavens at the impossibility of it all. Perhaps, I should have at least gave it some thought, questioned whether or not this was divine will, providence, or it was supposed to be some form of karmic joke.

I had died, curious thing it was dying, and the manner in which I had met my unfortunate peril is not one that is suitable for children or sensitive ears. Still, I had died, I was _sure_ of it. Yet, after the sensation of death, the unspeakable darkness and warmth, the feeling of being squeezed through a dark, hot tube –

I found the light.

" **Welcome to the Reincarnation World System!"**

It was not the type of light I was expecting.

Here I was, sitting on a chair, in a large vast space of whiteness, as far as I could see, and in front of me, was a man wearing fancy-pancy robes that looked like something in the trash can of a Shakespearean movie set.

"What."

The fashion abomination moved up to me with a large smile.

" **You died**."

I rolled my eyes. "No shit. Any other obvious statements you want to make before explaining who you are?"

The man seemed to blink in confusion at my words. " **Strange. Most of you mortals would be screaming and yelling as to how it was impossible. I was expecting some drama, some shock, maybe a little bit of fear and apprehension.** "

"I'm feeling slightly bored. Does that help?"

He grinned at me. " **Ooh, we've got a snarky one here.** "

I waved my hand. "Can you just get to the part where I meet up with Lucifer and stuff? Or is listening to you for all infinity supposed to be my version of hell? If it is, then fuck, God is a savage."

" **Oh?** " The man gave me a weird smile " **So you believed you were destined for hell?"**

"No, if anything, I believe hell was destined for _me_."

The man seemed to smile even further. " **Well, if you're lucky, you'll get to do see it!** "

My eyes narrowed at the suspicious man. So far, he seemed far too upbeat for my liking, and either he was retarded, or there was something else up.

"So… considering I'm not already feeling toasty, are we doing this Konosuba style or Death Parade style?"

A giant, and by Marilyn Monroe's sexy ass I meant _giant_ , spinning wheel appeared, dropping down in front of me with a gust of wind that actually made me take a few steps back.

"Huh. I guess it's Death Parade style then."

The man, who was probably some cosmic or divine deity that was out of my paygrade, but most likely had superior officers higher in the scheme of things, then gestured to the wheel, which, as my eyes could now see, possessed thousands of different options on it.

" **Your fate is literally in your own hands as you spin the Wheel of the Afterlife! Will you get lucky and land on Nirvana? Or will you strike out and find yourself best buddies with Hades in the Realm of the Dead? Or, will you hit the numerous options for reincarnation, to return to your own world as a cockroach, or perhaps, end up in an entirely new one with an entirely new life!"**

I gave the man a bland look.

"Did your higher ups also ask you to organize this thing like a retarded game show host?"

His smile dropped. " **It makes things more interesting.** "

I snorted. My eyes flickered back to the giant board, wherein I realized that there were indeed several options I could land on, depending on how the wheel spun, and ultimately, I shrugged. Worst case scenario, I was sent back as a mosquito and I killed dozens of innocents in Africa. Still a win-win situation.

With a heavy heave, I moved to the side of the thing, and I rolled it.

" **Oh, here it goes! Oh, just passed becoming Cthulu's fucktoy – that was a lucky one. And yikes, you got around reincarnation as a magical girl in a hentai universe. That one is usually a crowd favorite! And… Oh! Just passed Heaven and** _ **hell**_ **! Go straight to jail, do not pass go! Oh the wheel is slowing down, and – and – and –"**

Eventually, tentatively, the wheel came to a stop.

 **Reincarnated as The Gamer in A Fictional Universe.**

"Hehehe… hahahahahahahaha!"

I couldn't help it, my lungs burned heavily as the only thing I could do upon seeing what was my punishment, my fate, was to burst out laughing like a maniac. and it was _this!_ Oh, fuck, it was too funny to even put into words.

" **Oh, my, did you think that was going to be all? You still have to spin the wheel to decide just what universe you'll be entering.** "

"I don't care."

The man stopped to stare at me like I had gone insane.

Indeed, with the wild grin I had on my face, with how my teeth probably showed, anyone would believe that I had gone insane.

"It doesn't matter _what_ universe. Be it Dark Souls or Dragon Ball or fucking _Tom and Jerry_ – I don't care. Just spin the wheel yourself and tell me how it goes."

The sound of the familiar spinning reached my ears as my eyes were closed and my hands were placed confidently behind my head.

" **Naruto.** "

If possible, my grin grew even wider.

"I once drew some comics with Sakura and Ino as futas… interesting."

It was at this point, that the man who had previously been smiling, had started staring at me oddly, strangely, and my grin grew even wider at the level of discomfort he was showing.

" **You – you're –** "

"A genuine psychopath with little to no concept of human decency and morality? Yes."

The man turned white.

"And you just gave me one of the most powerful and versatile abilities in the world, and you're sending me to a universe where I _know_ everyone there is nothing more than the results of a Japanese man's imagination. They may _think_ and _act_ and _feel_ like they're _sentient_ , but they're not… not _really_. To me? They might as well be a KFC value meal."

I leaned back, stretching and yawning.

"Well? What are we waiting for? Let's get this reincarnation show on the road, _nin nin_."

* * *

Son of Gato

* * *

How strange was it, that even divine beings were unnerved by me? Of course, as it happened to be, they also seemed to follow some ridiculous notion of right and wrong, of good and evil, as though those abstract terms were supposed to mean something to me. It was disappointing to say the least, I would think that beings that were not human would at least understand where I was coming from, but, I asked for far too much.

The Show Host, as I had taken to calling him, decided, on his own impetus I took it, that it would be better for this 'world' I was in, to never succeed or grow or triumph, because once I grew my Gamer ability, nothing short of the five Kage or higher God-tier beings would be capable of challenging me.

It was for that reason, that I had found myself reincarnated as the child of perhaps, one of the worst people in the entire universe.

Fan-fucking-tastic.

I might never find out who was more astonished on the day of my birth, myself, or the midwives who had helped delivered me. I had been stunned into a state of total silence given the fact that I still couldn't believe I had just experienced the sensation that was birth, from the perspective of the one person who least wanted to experience it. The mid-wives however, would forever go on and spread my legend about being the quietest baby they had ever seen. I had been so quiet, they had _almost_ assumed I was dead.

Unfortunate as it was, I had soon come to discover, that the process of my coming into the world had come at the price of the life of the woman who birthed me. I would never truly know her name, never learn of her struggles, or never particularly get to feel the supposed warmth of a mother. Not that I cared, of course, about a nameless fictional character.

Had I been a normal child, it would have been unfortunate. As it was however, I was a nineteen year old in the body of an infant. I _had_ a mother, and I could not bring myself to feel anything for the woman who would have taken the place of the only woman I would ever call my mother.

Instead however, my attention was turned to the only other parental figure I had. Despite my eyes being as sensitive as they were, and despite my ability to fully utilize my visual senses due to being a baby, I tried my best to get a glimpse of my new parent.

Perhaps it was a bad idea, but the more I tried and forced myself to see, the more I unknowingly stirred something deep within me. There's no real way to explain the ineffable sensations, the simplest explanation would be comparing it to a feeling of ants crawling _inside_ your skin, but instead of the usual itchy feeling, there was nothing but the twisted feeling of cold fire. Or perhaps, the feeling of hot ice – which, as I realized sounds vaguer than intended.

Nonetheless, this feeling lasted no longer than a brief second before my body felt unusually weak, like I had just completed a rigorous training exercise, my legs shivered and I almost broke out into cold sweat.

I heard some exclamations that I couldn't make heads or tails of, but before I drifted into sweet unconsciousness, I was able to get a glance at the form of my beloved father –

At his round face and obnoxious laugh, his mustache which coiled to reveal one of the most hated characters in the history of Japanese Animation.

 _Gato_.

 **[Welcome, new player, to the World of Naruto]**

* * *

Son of Gato

* * *

 **Year Four, Month One**

It had not taken me long to realize that my life was going to be a veritable shit-storm. Or perhaps, it was going to be slow, annoying torture. First, my name was also Gato, or Junior, considering the fact that the man who was my father, was clearly egotistical and obnoxious enough to name his only male child after himself.

Second, I was wrong in assuming the type of person Gato was. I had assumed, that despite being a slimy, greasy sleazebag who ruined the lives of the people of Wave, that he would be a somewhat cossetting father. I thought that Gato would be the kind of person who would spoil and pamper his son and let him get anything and everything he wanted, and would shower him with gifts and attention.

The belt which smacked against my back and sent pain raring up my body served as a harsh reminder as to how hopelessly naïve I had been.

"Get back here boy, you will sit down, and you will _learn_! You're already four years old – that's a whole four years of an investment that I need to see some returns!"

Gato didn't view me as a son. No, instead, he viewed me as a project. He saw me as some form of investment which would pay off in the long run, and he intended for me to eventually lessen his burdens by taking control of several aspects of his Shipping Conglomerate which ran across the Elemental Nations.

As such, my life had lived out in that perspective.

As a baby, I had numerous wet-nurses who fed me. They were good to me, originally, until of course, the time came when my father's Greed came up. My infant sighs did nothing to stop the idiot of a man as he stripped their clothes and forced himself on them. From that point on, the gazes of the women would look at me with scorn and disdain, they would feed me – barely – perhaps hoping that I would die of starvation slowly, and that they would be saving the world from another monster in human flesh. The irony was highly amusing.

 **[Due to a sufficient lack of food and nutrients, you have been afflicted with two debuffs.]**

 **[You have been afflicted with the debuff (Malnourished)]**

 **[You have been afflicted with the debuff (Starved)]**

Considering my dearest father never truly checked up on me, their plans would have succeeded. Except, for the rare occasion where he came by for a random visit – read: to randomly rape the wet nurse – and then, he would discover my seemingly starving and malnourished state, go up into a frenzy, and kill the woman responsible.

Then, he'd get another wet nurse and the process would begin all over again.

It was through this process that I realized, I was blessed with neither the famous "Gamer's Mind" nor was I blessed with "Gamer's Body". This was probably foul play, once again, most likely perpetuated by the Show Host in order to find newer or perhaps, more suitable ways to kill me.

He seemed to _genuinely_ believe that I would destroy or utterly enslave this world, and his antics to prevent me from doing so where going to be rather troubling. I suppose it is my fault in the first place, for unfortunately running my mouth and revealing my true nature in front of him. Though, it did bring the question of just how much influence he possessed that he would be able to do something as major as edit the rules of my ability.

Regardless, I was in a world that was the result of the vivid imagination of a Japanese man with a hard-on for messiah-complexes. The people around me were not _real_ , as I constantly reminded myself. Oh sure, they might seem to have feelings and emotions and logical thoughts like every other human being, but _they weren't real_. Their destinies were already set in stone, their fates and futures written and drawn out, guided, and nothing they did would change the outcome.

 _I_ , on the other hand was real. I came from a world where I had already seen the utterly crappy, sickeningly sweet 'ending'. Well, unless you count how Naruto supposedly is rumored to get killed and didn't even live to see old age as the 'true' ending, but I wasn't even sure if the events of Boruto would happen in this world.

I was the farthest thing from an idiot, and unashamed as I am to admit it, I had spent countless hours debating as to what I would do if I was ever reincarnated. The fact was, the Chaos Theory was something that people tended to forget. So many idiots would spend time trying to run damage control and 'align' the world with what they knew as 'canon', to hold on to some fleeting idea and delusion of control, believing that they could plan for the worst case scenario as long as their memories of the future was intact.

I did not have the liberty to be that stupid.

For starters, Gato never had a son in 'canon'. That mere fact alone, the fact of my conception, had already created ripples that would utterly change the world and the future. Whatever 'future-knowledge' I had was doubtlessly useless already, and I was not going to spend agonizing hours upon hours thinking about how I had to make sure Naruto fought Kaguya and saved the world.

Other than that, I was a _civilian_. Oh sure, I had unlocked my chakra, and I had the powers of the Gamer but it didn't mean much. My reserves as a civilian-born were so laughable, that I was certain _Sakura_ of all people would be considered a biju in comparison. The deprivation of food had not helped, nor had Gato's staunch love of corporate punishment. That aside, even if I did not possess less chakra than a flea, my dearest father would never entertain the idea of sending me to a shinobi village to learn how to become a ninja, nor did I believe he would be happy with the idea of hiring private tutors so I could learn the shinobi arts. All he wanted from me, was to become the perfect version of himself that would lessen his workload and carry on his legacy.

This meant that unless I was willing to run away to Konoha and become a shinobi – on the off, ridiculous chance that they would even allow me into the academy – there was not much I could do against the monstrously, bullshit-level powers that people in this world possessed.

I licked my lips in anticipation.

In a world filled with demons and devils, my options were either to roll over and let the devil shove a red-hot iron up my ass, or to smile, convince the devil that I was on his side, and then proceed the shove a red-hot iron up the asses of other unfortunate bastards.

I was _finally_ in a world of survival of the fittest, and it meant that I _could and would_ have to kill, murder and maim my way to the top of the food chain if I wanted to survive. There was no room for mercy. No room to be limited 'morals'. No room to be an idealistic driven idiot who had to play the role of the hero or the good guy.

 _I_ was the only real person in the world.

 _I_ was number one.

 _I_ was all that mattered.

This world was my sandbox. A world in which I had read hundreds of different fan variations, fictions and theories. A world in which I had shamelessly seen and gotten off to thousands of different rule 34 materials. Even if I had next to no chakra, and I had absolutely no ninja training or combat experience, I would become the God of the world, using nothing but cunning and brutality.

The Gamer powers, were merely a tiny bonus.

After all, the best victory is the one gained without ever fighting.

And thus, I began my plan.

My dearest father ran a shipping business, which meant that majority of the time, he would have no choice but to be gone for days or weeks, or perhaps months, leaving my growth to the servants in the house. They were like spies and rodents, loyal to him and him only, and as such, I needed to keep up with my 'studies' and designated tutors in order to avoid drawing suspicion or a firm lashing. Days blurred rapidly, with the same particular routine of waking, being fed, meeting with my numerous tutors, and spending hours open end learning arithmetic that I was already lightyears ahead of.

However, there were other skills and unique things which I had gained from my tutors and their sessions, which my father referred to as the "ABC's of Successful Businessmen."

* * *

 **Theoretical Skills Unlocked!**

 **Arithmetic (Passive) Lv. Max**

 **Bookkeeping (Passive) Lv. Max**

 **Calligraphy (Passive) Lv. 3**

 **Deal-Brokering (Passive) Lv. 20**

 **Economic Observation (Passive) Lv. 29**

 **Falsification (Passive) Lv. 20**

 **General Knowledge (Passive) Lv. 68**

 **Haggling (Passive) Lv. 31**

 **Information Acquisition (Passive) Lv. 23**

 **Job Dissemination (Passive) Lv. 21**

* * *

Ten skills, all of which, Gato believed that if mastered and combined, would make me his 'perfect' son. The Arithmetic and Bookkeeping skills were self-explanatory, and considering how I had studied Advanced Mathematics and Physics in High School in a previous life, putting together the rather simplistic business modules of a feudal Japanese business was cakewalk.

Calligraphy was the one skill to which I had extremely horribly luck with, that is, in the fact that I could not, for the life of me, hold the brush steady enough to write anything legible, which meant that Fuinjutsu would be a _long_ ways off. Deal-Brokering referred to my ability to supposedly create a deal which was beneficial to me, finding and mastering aspects of business and it's tiny nuances to always get the best deal, be it either by blackmail, bribery, coercion, or any means necessary.

Economic Observation however, was a skill which I could not deny it's inherent usefulness. It summed up ability to properly analyze and economy in order to realize the best ways to either cripple it, or elevate it, and as such, find advantages and opportunities where no one else would. This included possessing knowledge of a country/village's demography, their resources, available manpower and/or military, their available workforce, their male-to-female ratio, adult-to-child-to-elder ratio, and on and on it went. Essentially, this skill, enabled me to breakdown what would be extremely complex information, into something as simple as a simulation/strategy game like Sim City.

Falsification was next, and of course, considering that Gato was the consummate professional business man he was, he decided that I needed to learn how to falsify documents and forge signatures, and also how to _identify_ falsified documents and fake signatures.

General Knowledge covered the basics, such as the names of the Hidden Villages, the names and titles of their rulers, the names of the non-hidden villages, the names of the major towns, cities and important locations of interest in the world, and the names of dangerous or powerful individuals. Considering how I possessed a large amount of knowledge about the world, and it's probable future, this was rather easy to get to a high level.

Haggling was…. Well, haggling. A skill that was somewhat close to Deal-Brokering, but somewhat different in a lot of ways, as while all Deal-Brokering attempts could end in me having to haggle, not all haggling attempts ended with me brokering a deal.

Information Acquisition was a _must –_ as information was as useful to a businessman as it was to a shinobi. What was the latest happening in the world? Which village had the most power? Who had recently been assassinated? Who was sleeping with the Daimyo's daughter? Who had recently gotten sexually transmitted diseases? – Anything and everything could be used.

Then, finally, there was Job Dissemination. Essentially, the Chess-Master skill. How best did you allocate your manpower? Your tools? Your resources? Your funds? Who was needed to perform the clean-up job, and who would be best for a stealthy assassination? And of course, how best to tie up any lose ends, once the jobs in question were completed.

I would not deny that the classes and skills were useful, as they provided me with the expertise and the knowledge that I would use in future, though, between ten-tutors coming daily, and possessing only twenty-four hours a day, – nineteen if you subtracted the hours I slept – I had no time to begin any sort of planning, or to even start any form of 'grinding'.

The only way I would be able to free up my schedule, was if I maxed out the ten theoretical skills first, and sent one of my tutors packing, as he realized there was nothing left to teach me.

It was in this manner that time slowly trickled by, with my nose buried in a book, and a series of snooty men baffled as to how quickly I exceeded their expectations.

* * *

Son of Gato

* * *

 **Year Four, Month Two**

In the second month, I had yet to master any of the theoretical skills, but, I was able to convince my Arithmetic and Book-Keeping tutors that I had no more need of their instructions. They had gone on to sing praises to my father as to how I was some sort of prodigy, but Gato, being Gato, had merely snorted at their antics with the pride that I was his son, and as such, being a prodigy was expected.

 _Yeah…_

Regardless, now possessing some free time of my own, I realized that one of the most boring aspects of my slow and eventual ascent to God-Emperor of the Naruto-verse, happened to be grinding.

At four years of age, my gamer system had finally granted its full access to me, which allowed me to examine my stats and information for the very first time.

* * *

 **Name: Gato II/Gato Junior**

 **HP: 50/50**

 **CHK: 5/5**

 **Level: 1**

 **Age: 4**

 **Rank: Civilian**

 **EXP: 0/1000**

 **SPECIAL**

 **Strength: 4 (-2) [E– Rank]**

 **Perseverance: 6 (-2) [E– Rank]**

 **Endurance: 6 (-2) [E– Rank]**

 **Charisma: 2 (+20) [D– Rank]**

 **Intelligence: 4 (+20) [D– Rank]**

 **Agility: 4 (-2) [E– Rank]**

 **Luck: 0 [F Rank]**

 **Status**

 **Buffs:**

 **N/A**

 **Debuffs:**

 **(Malnourished: -2 penalty to Strength, Perseverance and Endurance)**

 **(Starved: Reduced Stat and Experience Gain)**

 **Foils:**

 **(Strong Civilian Heritage: Possesses less Chakra than the average human, 60% harder to increase Chakra reserves)**

 **(Son of the Monster: –50% Reputation Gains with Civilians.)**

 **(Machiavellian Principle: –50% Reputation Gains with Honorable or Good Characters, +50% Reputation Gains with Amoral or Evil Characters)**

 **Boons:**

 **(Arithmetic Prodigy: Grants +20 to Intelligence)**

 **(Utilitarian Principle: Grants +20 to Charisma)**

 **(Size Matters: Grants Perfect Chakra Control if Chakra reserves are less than or equal to available Health Points.)**

 **Bio**

 **Gato Junior, or Gat, or Junior, is the son of the prominent, but often amoral Business Tycoon Gato, and the sole heir to the Gato Shipping Conglomerate. Possessing a brilliant mind, a flair to be overly dramatic and pointlessly deep, he believes himself to be a genuine psychopath who will take over the world, enslave its women and become a God-Emperor.**

* * *

Needless to say, I was not amused by what I saw.

Regardless, I knew that things were going to be problematic once I realized there was a distinct absence of the "MP" or "Mana Points" which was often used in such scenarios where one became the gamer. This meant that there would be no creating spinning mana balls or shooting giant arrows of mana willy-nilly, because chakra did not allow for that.

I had perfect chakra control, and this was good, except, my chakra reserves were stunted by my unfortunate genes, and that perfect control was absolutely wasted on me. However, I had already decided that I was going to use my head instead of my fists and muscles to take over the world, and considering that I was, well, _loaded_ , money was now another tool in my fine arsenal.

Not that the stingy ball of lard from whose sperm I originated would be willing to give me some money, but it was only a matter of time for me. Soon enough, all of the man's wealth would fully be mine to use as I wished.

 _SMACK!_

– _ **10HP!**_

God-fucking-damn it that shit hurt!

"You were day-dreaming about killing me again weren't you boy?"

I turned my eyes to glare at him, and the familiar piece of black leather in his hands. You had _no_ idea as to how much a belt slapping against your bare back stung.

"I don't have to kill you. One of these days, you'll choke on a chicken bone and do me the favor yourself."

Gato's lips twisted into a frown. "Had it been anyone else but you who said that, they'd already be dead."

I snorted. "Probably cause they couldn't stand the sight of your lubber. I'd sooner pour molten lead into my eyes than dream of the day I see you without your clothes."

 _SMACK!_

– _ **10HP!**_

GODDAMNIT!

 **From repeated physical strikes, a skill has been created!**

 **[Physical Endurance (Passive) Lv. 1!] – [Reduces damage dealt by physical strikes by 1%]**

I grinned.

"Keep hitting me with that belt old man! Maybe you'll get hot enough to sweat out all the fat in your body!"

 _SMACK!_

– _ **9HP!**_

 **[Physical Endurance has levelled up! Level 1 Level 2.] – [Reduces Damage done by Physical Strikes by 2%]**

"Call me fat again you unfortunate waste of sperm!"

"You're fat! Fat! People don't fear you, they fear being _sat on_ by you!"

 _SMACK!_

SWEET FUCK!

This, perhaps, had been the worst trade deal in the history of trade deals.

But seeing Gato's puffed up, balloon like red-face, in exchange for getting used to pain, just felt _so_ right.

Not having Gamer's Body meant that I unfortunately had a rather scarred back, and that it would remain that way until I met, or hired a medic that could heal them. They _should_ be capable of healing scars right? Otherwise shinobi and kunoichi were most _definitely_ not supposed to look like the flawless supermodels they did. I could only recall Kakashi being the character who had a scar across his eye, and of course Danzo…

Hm… okay, so medical ninjutsu could not heal scars. That would be annoying.

Regardless of not possessing that rather nifty Gamer's Body that would prevent injury or fatal harm, I still had the benefit of restoring my health via food items, and a night's sleep would also aid restoring my health. Part of me wondered if the absence of the skill was a blessing or a curse, because I knew for a certain, that if I possessed the ability, it would be ridiculously hard to hide it, as I could be stabbed or survive fatal falls with no visible injuries, and that would most _definitely_ draw attention to me.

Also, once Gato realized that he had done enough damage to me courtesy of his floggings and the scars, he would refrain from bringing out his damn belt to whip me for the slightest offense. The man did possess a heart, somewhere, in there. Shame he did not possess a keener mind to go with it, otherwise, he would have realized or recognized the fact, that a four year old child was not supposed to be as snippy as me, nor as snarky, nor was I supposed to be as antagonistic. If anything, I was the exact _opposite_ of what a _real_ child in my situation would be like – eager to please, timid, frightened, unsure, desperate for love and attention.

Gato either failed to notice this, or simply didn't _care_. Probably it was the former, as the man most likely had no experience with children to begin with, and was content with me as long as I esxceeded his expectations and fulfilled his dreams of possessing a powerful heir. Still, this worked to my advantage, as I could act in any manner I pleased without having to worry about the man thinking 'children don't act this way', and as such, I saw no need to put on the guise of a child. This would aid in furthering my plans.

…well, it would, if I could even _start_ my plans to begin with.

Between the amount of time I spent with my tutors, and the time I spent sleeping, I had grown up, essentially, a prisoner in the large elegant mansion that I was to call my home.

As it stood, I had never _seen_ the outside of Gato's mansion, let alone _interacted_ with anyone outside of it. My dearest father happened to be one of those men who felt that I did nothing but stay indoors all day and study, as the tutors he brought in seemed to come from all over the elemental nations, yet, I was not allowed to leave.

And so, I felt that I needed to rectify that error.

* * *

 **New Mission!**

 **The World Beyond**

 **You have spent four years without having ever seen the outskirts of Gato's Mansion. Now, it is up to you to sneak out and witness the wonderful world of the Elemental Nations all for yourself.**

 **Objectives:**

 **Escape the Mansion**

 **Return before your absence is noticed**

 **Do NOT get caught**

 **Rewards:**

 **50 EXP**

 **+5 Levels to ? Skill**

 **Failure:**

 **Decreased Reputation with Gato**

 **A brutal lashing with a leather belt**

 **Time Limit:**

 **N/A**

 **Accept Mission?**

 **(Yes)**

 **(No)**

* * *

It was my first mission, the first quest I had gotten. Part of me had expected something like being told to wash dishes or going out to get a jug of milk, but I supposed a brief escape to the outside world would suit me just fine.

Seeing as how there was no time limit on the Quest, I hit the 'yes' button, before immediately beginning my preparation to use and power level the one particular skill that would aid me the most in this world.

 _Observe._

* * *

 **Skill Name:**

 **Observe**

 **Skill Level/Type:**

 **Level 72 – Active**

 **Description:**

 **This allows the Gamer to be able to discern information about the world around him with a single glance. Further levels enable full and complete grasp of all information on a selected target.**

* * *

Observe was a skill that would be immensely useful, and the best part about it, was how absolutely ridiculously easy it was for me to attain and power-level it. Normally, had I possessed a Mana or "MP" bar along with my Chakra bar, then it would be difficult for me to power-level the skill, because it would cost MP to constantly use. However, seeing as how I did not have mana, and it would be absolutely ludicrous for the skill to use _chakra_ , it meant that there was _no cost_ to using it. This meant, it could be spammed indefinitely.

And so, I did exactly that.

I walked around the entire mansion at night and in my free time, observing anything and everything that I set my eyes on. Paintings, walls, stones, cooking instruments, books, papers, mirrors, plates, pens, scrolls, parchments –

Nothing escaped my gaze, and within the span of about three days in total time of wandering, and using it, the skill now sat at a comfortable level 72.

Who said that being a gamer was hard?

I would max the skill out long before I ever reached the age of thirteen, which was when I assumed 'canon' would start, and it would allow me to gaze upon people and immediately know everything there is to know about them.

Well, considering I already _kind of_ know most of what there is to know about the 'people' in this world, the skill felt fairly redundant. Still, it was good to have, and even better to use once I realized that it aided me in analyzing certain information about the staff that my father employed. Knowing their inner workings, secret addictions, flaws, fears, insecurities – all of these were minor things to which I would eventually need.

And it was with this skill and my wits, that I began my first ever mission.

Escaping my house.


	2. Therefore, I Am

**Another day, another chapter.**

 **Shoutout here to HitGamer22 for being my first ever reviewer! Woo! Also, I hope this chapter answers your questions. If not, then it's a secret. *wink wink***

 **Nuno-Oki: Feel free to use the idea. I don't think there's a single fic out there with anyone being the Son of Gato of all people, so some variety would be nice. Just kindly remember to mention/reference me... for together, we shall ascend internet fan community fame!**

 **Also, another shout out to these swell guys who are the first people to favorite my work:**

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 **You guys rock!**

 **Now, on with the story.**

* * *

Let it be said, that merely having good observational abilities did not necessarily mean that one would make a good spy.

I had waited until nightfall, when I was certain that Gato would be asleep. Climbing out of my bed, I turned my gaze immediately to my bedsheet, which, thanks to the king-sized bed I was using, was fairly large. From then on, my gaze turned towards the long flowing curtains in the room, and then towards the window.

Yup. I was doing _that_.

 **Item:**

 **King-Sized Bedsheet**

 **A long flowing, plain white bedsheet – designed to make sure there's no hiding stains.**

 **Tear to Get – x50 Cloth**

 **Item:**

 **Long Curtains**

 **Designed to hide your privacy – or shield the world from it.**

 **Tear to Get – x20 Cloth**

A few seconds of grabbing and tying, and I had 'crafted' something completely new.

 **Crafting Attempt Successful!**

 **Crafted Item:**

 **Rope**

 **A somewhat stable rope tied with strong knots and easily covering twenty feet.**

I opened the windows, shuddering at the rush of cold air which rushed in. Staring down, I had already estimated the total height to be at least thirty feet. I didn't let it bother me though, as I took a deep breath and let the rope fall.

I attatched the other end to something extremely sturdy, which was of course, my bed, and just like that, I performed an escape fantasy that I had only seen in movies and never once imagined could happen in real life. Climbing down the rope, I made sure to avoid making any noises that would give me away, and it took me a few seconds before I ran out of rope, and then stared down at the ground floor below me.

Not good. The distance was apparently an eight foot drop.

Sighing, I turned my attention to the wall.

"Too much and you blast off, too little and you slip off."

The rules of the tree-walking technique echoed softly on my lips, except, with my limited chakra reserves, then blasting off was not going to be an issue in the slightest. Gingerly, I placed one foot on the wall, and then the second one, and then I closed my eyes, and felt, drawing deep from within me, the power which allowed people to spit on physics and to manipulate the laws of gravity like a pubescent child molding clay.

I stuck.

 **Congratulatons, you have gained the –**

I ignored the notification telling me about how I had gained the tree walking skill, in exchange for immediately running down the side of the building, as I could feel my chakra reserves drain like as though a legion of vampires had sunk their metaphorical fangs into my veins and sucked like I was juice box. Four seconds later, I landed on the ground in a low crouch, gingerly remembering to apply the chakra to try and soften my landing.

The first step was complete, which was escaping my room, now, came the hardest part. The cold breeze was absolutely ridiculous, but, I toughened it out and then made my way forward, as it dawned on me that though I had escaped the mansion, I was still within its immediate premises.

"Observe."

My eyes widened.

"Well, fuck."

Though I left the mansion, I was still within the _compound_ , and the compound was insanely large, nearly the size of a bloody football stadium, with the walls at the farthest ends easily reaching twenty-feet, barb-wired _and_ electric. The compound consisted of large open space in the manner of an open plains, and this, along with its massive walls and gates, were all meant to shinobi-proof the place, as the flat and level grounds and lack of any obstruction or proper hiding place, meant that there was absolutely no way for you to cross the compound without being seen.

And this was just the _topographical_ challenge, there was also the other challenge which came in the form of actual opposition.

 **Compound Security Detail:**

 **Ten Average Patrol Guards**

 **Three Elite Patrol Guards**

 **Fifteen Patrol Hounds**

Hounds. Aka – vicious guard dogs that were the breed most likely to bite first and ask questions later. There were _fifteen_ of these things patrolling the place, and I was in the body of a malnourished four year old boy that could barely outpace a feline hopped up on catnip.

With that in mind, I realized there was only one thing I could do.

 **You have abandoned the mission.**

Climbing back up to my room, I removed the sheets from the window, shut it to hide from the freezing cold, hopped back into my bed and went to sleep.

* * *

 **S - O - G**

* * *

 **Year Four, Month Three**

"Up! Up brat! Today's the day you get to see how I run my business in person!"

The third month of my fourth year in this world had started with the familiar site of a rotund man spurring me out of bed with the familiar sound of a belt smacking against a wall. It was annoying as to how Gato of all people had me primed like a Pavlov dog, as merely hearing the sound of something or _anything_ smacking, immediately sent a rush of adrenaline into my body and made me react or attempt to escape on sheer instinct.

"Oh, and don't forget to put on your _good_ clothes boy."

I rose an eyebrow at him. "I didn't realize shipment workers were fashion critics."

"It's not for the workers you fool. It's for the _people_."

"Oh that's _much_ better. Can't have those starving folk possessing any hope of ever being as wealthy as a four-year old now can I?"

I was not surprised when Gato actually smirked. "You're learning boy, that's good."

Rolling my eyes, I held my tongue from making any more snarks, simply because I would finally get to leave the mansion today. There was no need to say something which would deprive me of that privilege.

A few minutes spent bathing and brushing, and some more minutes spent eating breakfast, our moment of departure finally came via fanciful horse carriages, and the gargantuan gates swinging open for the first time.

 **New Location Discovered!**

 **Mizu no Kuni!**

This was how I got to learn that Gato, and I by association, originated from the Land of Water. It made some sense, considering that he owned a shipping conglomerate, and it also made some sense as to why he would favor rogue shinobi from the Hidden Mist. He was the type of man who had subtle biases in that manner.

"You've got your head in the clouds again boy."

I allowed my eyes to sharpen as I pointedly put as much faux swagger into my posture as I could. I heard some snickering from some of Gato's bodyguards who rode beside and in front of the carriage. They were hired muscle, but _loyal_ hired muscle. The difference however, was that these men did not look anything like the local thugs and bandits I had assumed Gato associated with. No, in their odd kimonos, elegant katanas and long straw hats, it was easy to realize that Gato had Ronin as his bodyguards.

Not quite up to the caliber of elite shinobi, but definitely leagues above mere bandits, and all effectively at least Low-Chunin to Low-Jonin level.

"He seems to be a rather smart lad."

The man who had made the comment, had drawn my attention, my eyes flickering to the side and utilizing _Observe_ on what was now an ingrained instinct.

* * *

 **Name: Kitami Hiro**

 **Title: The Final Gate**

 **Level: 45**

 **Age: 36**

 **Rank: Ronin (B–)**

 **Occupation: Elite Bodyguard**

 **Bio**

 **Kitami Hiro is an experienced ronin, or a rogue samurai from Tetsu no Kuni, the Land of Iron. He, along with a group of forty six others were unknowingly sent on a suicide mission to stop an S-rank shinobi beyond their capabilities, all in service of their Daimyo. However, only thirteen of them, Kitami included, managed to escape with their lives. Homeless, angry and betrayed, he was eventually met and recruited by Gato in order to serve as the leader of his personal body guard squad – The Fourteen Gates.**

* * *

If there was ever any doubt in my mind that the world I was in was the farthest thing from canon, this, right here, proved it. The slender, dark-haired, bearded man in a dark blue kimono-esque robe and two katanas attached to each side, just proved my point that I should not rely on conceptions from 'canon'. For starters, Gato _never_ had anybody that looked _this_ capable in his employ, but had instead used his money to hire a bunch of ragtag thugs that could be bested by Academy Students. It had always slightly bothered me, to be honest, as it made no sense as to why a man as rich as Gato would have cut costs so much when it came to something as important as his own protection. He struck me as the sort of person who would rather go bankrupt than die, because if he was dead, then he wouldn't be able to use any of his money in the first place.

This was how I slowly arrived at the realization that this Gato was not only more ruthless, he was _smarter_.

We rode to the docks in a carriage, and I only ever so often pushed aside the curtains of the horse-driven vehicle to stare at the scenery of the environment. The Land of Water, or Mizu no Kuni, definitely had the right name. The trees were luscious and evergreen because the sky was constantly cloudy and weepy, and it was as though the sun had long since retreated from the land. The weather was often cold and chilly, the mornings were filled with heavy fogs and the nights were below freezing, meaning that anyone stupid enough to stay outside at night in Mizu no Kuni would be doing their best impression of a corpse the following morning.

We lived in one of Mizu no Kuni's port cities, a little bit off from the capital, and from the tidbits and snippets of information I could hear around me, and which was compiled by my passive "ABC's" I realized that the Water Daimyo had given Gato full reign to spread his influence along the tiny port town however he so wished.

"I'm curious," I said, turning my attention back to my 'dearest' father as the ride continued "Why'd you suddenly decide that today was the day to let me out?"

Gato snorted. "Burying your nose in books all day isn't going to cut it. It's good, but you need hands on experience to finally get things moving."

My nose crinkled. "I get that." I said, leaning back and ignoring a particular nasty bump on the road, "but why now? Out of the blue? On a whim? What happened that made you realize that I needed to get some hands on experience, _now_."

Most people would have been marveled by a four-year old being that perceptive, but Gato was not amongst most people.

"Nosy brat," he said, before scoffing. Then, I noticed his lips twitch, as though he was debating whether or not to tell me something, before he finally came to a decision.

"Well, if you must know – I also have some… _other_ business that needs to be taken care off… and you – well –" He grinned, he grinned a massive, nasty type of grin that I knew well, considering that it was the grin he wore right before his predatory gaze fell upon my previous wet nurses "– you're going to _handle_ it for me."

Well… fuck.

~~~~~~~~~~~~SOG

Gato's Shipping Business was, at the surface, an entirely legitimate business.

As I stood at the shipping docks which he owned and managed, I could spot from passenger ships which served as a medium of transportation from this port city to other cities or key areas in Mizu no Kuni, to serving as a means out of the Land of Water. People bustled patiently or impatiently on these ships, stopping at regulated checkpoints which were guarded by what I assumed were some form of samurai-police task keeping force. I took it that these individuals were the equivalent of immigration services or border patrol.

Moving forward, I could spot smaller ships, these ones were apparently ships that were used exclusively for fishing ventures, and as much as I wished I possessed more nautical knowledge and lingo, I did not, and hence, I referred to them as what I perceived them to be, which were ships that was filled to the brim with nets and the familiar aquatic creatures, flopping around on deck or in their various containers of captivity.

Finally, heading deeper in, we got to the parts that held large cargo ships, containing various rectangular containers and crates of varying sizes, this was one of the major ways in which Gato attained his income. The ships contained goods ranging from tobacco, to spices, to food items, to steels and metals, to precious ores, and on and on. Gato Shipping distributed these essentials or materials across the numerous countries, and such as one which caught my attention, which was a shipment of grains and spices that was heading to Yuki no Kuni, or, the Land of Snow.

Considering how that nation was covered majorly by ice and snow, it made sense that they would import food from other countries. There was even a shipment that was labelled Sunagakure no Sato, which had made me raise an eyebrow in confusion, until _Observe_ informed me that the shipment would land at a dock in the Land of Wind and be offloaded to shinobi, who would then transport it safely back to their village.

Gato Shipping distributed _everywhere_ and to _everyone_ , which made me seriously wonder how in the world someone like Kakashi had failed to know who Gato was in 'canon'. Shaking my head at the thought, I took my time to take in the smell of the fresh sea breeze, and took some further time for **Economic Observation** to take in all the information I had gathered so far, and convert it into a simple interactive format.

"Can you see this boy? From here and down on until the horizon, all of it, is _mine_."

I blinked. Wait, was Gato about to give me the 'all that the light touches is yours' speech?

He turned to me, patting me on the shoulder, an action which made me stumble slightly.

"One day, it will be yours, and your son's, and his son's, and on and on it goes – the name Gato, echoed endlessly as the king and ruler of all the seas, _forever_!"

He turned his gaze back to me.

"Now, boy, you learn the basics."

* * *

 **New Features Unlocked!**

 **Management Panel**

 **Gato Shipping Company – Level 1**

 **The largest shipping empire in the elemental nations is at your fingertips to majestically develop or completely destroy as you so wish.**

 **Tutorial**

 **The Gato Shipping Company makes its money via the transportation of people, goods and services across the seas, to distant countries.**

 **The longer the distance and the rarer the goods being transferred, the more the lucrative the deal. (E.G. Distributing vegetables and fish to the Land of Wind/Sunagakure)**

 **The closer the distance and the commoner the goods, the less lucrative the deal. (E.G. Distributing vegetables and fish to Land of Fire/Konohagakure)**

 **Trade Contracts are issued by Daimyo Courts, Kages, and Other Respective Village Leaders.**

 **You can generate your own Trade Contracts, or supply/demand goods from countries and villages which you possess Trade Treaties or are otherwise allied with you.**

 **Additionally, you can make investments in countries that you are allied with, in exchange for eventual benefits or materials naturally provided by those countries. (E.G. Investing in the Land of Fire will earn you large supplies of strong, great-quality Flickerwood.)**

 **Making the right investments, or the right trade deals will not only unlock new benefits, Quests, and exclusive rewards, but also have a massive effect on the world in General, and can even cause great, irreversible changes. (E.G. What do you think would happen if the Land of Wind no longer had access to grains or vegetables?)**

 **Additionally, [Illegal] trades exist, which allows you to trade in materials barred or banned by certain or all countries in the Elemental Nations. These are extremely lucrative, but will however, earn you the ire, hatred or loathing of several countries, and possess heavy, often irreversible repercussions.**

 **Countries and Contracts**

 **This shows the countries and your current relationship status with them, as well as the current contracts you possess. The contracts range from Basic – Advanced – Intricate – Immersive – Mutually Beneficial Treaty.**

 **Land of Fire – [Neutral] – Basic Contract**

 **Land of Wind – [Neutral] – Basic Contract**

 **Land of Water – [Amicable] – Advanced Contract**

 **Land of Lightning – [Neutral] – Basic Contract**

 **Land of Earth – [Neutral] – Basic Contract**

 **Land of Iron – [Disliked] – No Contract**

 **Land of Snow – [Neutral] – Basic Contract**

 **Land of Bears – [Neutral] – No Contract**

 **Land of Tea – [Neutral] – No Contract**

* * *

It was a lot of information to deal with, especially considering how Gato was dragging me by the arm as he made sure that I listened to him while he ratted off information that had already been fed to me far easier by my gaming interface. All through it, my mind was racking, ideas, unbidden began to form, newer and newer ones and even greater ones combined with my previous knowledge.

If I cut off supply to Land of Wind?

It would create an artificial scarcity of food items and important necessities, contributing to a group of factors that will jump-start the Suna invasion of Konoha nearly a decade earlier. Except, Orochimaru hasn't established Otogakure yet, which meant that Suna would look for another partner to back them up, and if that partner happened to be another of the Big Five, say, Iwagakure?

I'd have started the Fourth Shinobi War – twelve to eleven years early.

Without ever having thrown a single jutsu.

I would have begun laughing like a maniac at the realization of just how much power was at my fingertips, had it not been for the fact that a rough hand smacked into the back of my head.

– _ **4HP!**_

"Pay attention boy! I'm not going to repeat any of this!"

Eagerly, to Gato's surprise, and probable confusion, I nodded, listened, and watched, as I realized, that I was going to take over the Naruto world using good ol' fashioned…

 _Economics._

Several hours and more information added into Gato's crash course, I realized that I couldn't simply _just_ back out of a deal with an entire nation without them probably searching for another means of shipping, but, the beauty of it, was the fact that Gato owned a significant amount of ports, meaning, essentially, he had a monopoly. Hence, any other shipping company that intended on doing business would have to go through him, which was the equivalent of them landing on the green houses, and then the blue hotels, finding themselves unable to pay the ridiculously jacked up prices, and eventually heading straight to jail without passing _Go._

As I stared back at the man, watching him go off on some information about the distribution of rice, I couldn't help but wonder if he was even _aware_ of just how badly he could utterly cripple and destroy entire nations. It also made me wonder, or consider, how utterly impossible it would be, for someone with this much power, to station himself at Nami no Kuni, hire two less-than-reputable missing nin, and squabble over the life of a bridge-builder.

I shook my head at that notion, and instead, focused back on my interface, which was now a mix and mash of Sim-City and what I could recognize as the Assassin's Creed management option, particularly, the one from Assassin's Creed III, which allowed me to send out ships filled to the brim with cargo, down either potentially dangerous routes which were shorter, or through longer safer routes.

However, when my eyes tracked over to the amount of money I had –

"Oi! Oi! Boy! What the hell's wrong with you?"

"He fainted!"

"You! Get my son some water right this instant!"

My mind blurred out all other sound, over the sweet, sweet mindnumbing mantra of –

 _So many zeroes._

~~~~~~~~~ SOG ~~~~~~~~~

Walking through the town had been difficult.

"Heh – never seen this side of life before have you brat?"

With all of the major work done at the port, Gato had decided that it would be time to go handle his 'other' business, and this had required us to walk down the streets of Waterlily Town, the port town in which he possessed complete and utter influence.

"P-please – some food – just – provide me with some food –"

I had barely noticed the boy that had clutched unto my ankle, his form tattered, his body bonier and skinnier than anything I could imagine, and there was that look in his eyes – a look of sheer and utter desperation, a look of someone who had gazed into the depths of hell and laughed because the flames were a solace. I had never actually seen such eyes before, and, before I could as much as utter a response, the Ronin at my side appeared, his feet swung out, catching the beggar boy in the ribs, and sending him soaring away from me like a grown man would kick aside a kitten.

"Tsk! Don't let them touch you – you'll catch some of their filth."

I swallowed my suddenly dry throat.

Everywhere my eyes turned, I could see it, smell it, _hear_ it – poverty, starvation, sickness, disease, hunger – the darkest depths of human suffering encapsulated into a tiny mix-and-match ensemble. From the beggars on the streets, to the sharp-eyed pickpockets, to the cut throats, to even the fully grown women dressed in short skirts and revealing tops, gum in mouth and cigarette in lips, with eyes that leered in my direction shamelessly.

"Oh, come on now little boy~! I'll show you a _real_ good time!"

"Beat it whore!" one of my father's guards said, pushing the woman to the ground.

"Oh, don't worry – we'll have a _real_ good time yeah? Of course, you understand that this is going to be on the house… heh heh."

I ignored the sound of the woman's rebuttal, and likewise ignored the sound of the slaps that echoed, and the sounds of the men who were meant to protect me, descending upon her.

It was infuriating, _irritating_ , because these people _weren't real!_

They were not real!

All of this, all of it was just someone's imagination running its course – they were suffering because someone had created Gato, and decided that Gato's influence brought upon the impoverishment and suffering of others. All of this, it was predestined, preordained – and as such, I had no obligation to help them, to help a bunch of unimportant extras who were there for the sole purpose of giving the world a hint of realism.

Except…

I grit my teeth.

All of it… felt so… _so_ … real.

"Stop."

My father, along with the other few guards, were all staring at me.

I didn't care though, I stood in front of the two thugs, my gaze struck predominantly on them. These weren't the elite ronin my father hired, but just normal, extra-muscle thugs. They both turned to stare at me, likewise did the unfortunate prostitute who had been stripped of her top, her breasts hanging in the air, and her skirt now in pieces.

"Boy, what in the world do you think you're doing?"

I didn't avert my gaze. "If they want to have a good time, then pay the woman, and make sure she agrees to it."

The two men turned to stare at each other.

Then, one snickered.

Just like that, a burst of laughter escaped from their lips, from all of their lips, thug and ronin alike, loud, rancorous laughter at my expense. I didn't stop staring at them though, as my eyes rolled over their plain features, their dull brown clothes and plain black hair, their machetes put in place at the side of their pants, and their other information. The left one was Level 9, and the right one was Level 10 – Ping and Yoshi were their names.

"I think you have something mixed up, Junior- _sama,_ " Ping hissed out the honorific as though it were a curse "But, this is the way things work around here. Your father allows us have what we want, when we want it, and how we want it. And right now, we want this whore."

I tilted my head, not blinking, not redirecting my gaze.

"And I say, if you want her, pay her, and then _ask_ her."

Yoshi snorted. "And if we don't? What're you going to do, run to your father and beg him to make us stop?"

"No." The word escaped my lips like ice. "I'm not my father. I'll handle it my way."

The two men, Yoshi, talentless thug, and Ping, notorious thief, glanced back at each other, and then smirked.

"Well then, if that's the case –"

Ping pinned the woman down.

I moved.

The thing was, I had no training, that is, no formal shinobi training, but, unlike these two, I had chakra. Chakra was the cheat sheet for physical development, and despite being a small, four year old boy, despite possessing laughable strength and negligible combat ability, they had not expected me.

A brief burst of chakra was all I needed, ignoring how my CHK Bar near-emptied from the action as I was in between the two men. They turned to me, eyes wide, but I had replayed it in my mind over and over, and Ping could not react before I detached his blade from its sheath, raw adrenaline pumping through my body as I swung it in an arc.

 _ **INITIATIVE ATTACK!**_

 _CRITICAL HIT!_

 _CRITICAL HIT!_

 _ **Fatal Damage!**_

Idly, I ignored the gurgling sounds that came out from their throats in favor of wondering why blood always had the thick odor of copper. It would also be annoying to eventually get the heavy splash stains off my robes, but considering I did not do my own laundry, I suppose I could not truly care.

There was a pounding in my ears, even as right hand which gripped the blade felt inexplicably cold and moist, yet, strangely, as I watched the disbelieving looks of the two men, the sounds of the gurgles echoing louder in the complete ambient silence, I searched for some moral conundrum, for some part of me which screamed at the act I had committed, and instead, all I found, was slow, increasing, _satisfaction._

Two bodies dropped to the ground beside a frightened prostitute, and I flicked the blood of the plain, **Regular Steel Blade** as I grabbed the sheath from the body of the dying Ping, whose eyes still stared up at me in disbelief.

"Thank you," I said, managing my lips into a smile "For being so stupid."

 **{22/10} Charisma Check Passed!**

I sheathed the blade amidst further silence, before turning back to the woman, and raising an eyebrow.

"Leave. And next time – don't do stupid things." I gestured to the dead bodies. "It never end well."

The woman scurried away faster than I thought possible, and I held my new trophy in my hand as I turned back to my father and the rest of his guards.

"Ah, that felt good to get off my chest. Now, where were we heading to again?"

 _ **Special Event Completed!**_

 **Birth of the Cutthroat**

 **You have attained a special weapon – Firstblood Sword!**

 **Reputation with Gato Increased!**

 **Reputation with the Fourteen Gates Increased!**

 **Reputation with the people of Waterlily Port Town Increased!**

 **Title Unlocked – Little Cutthroat!**

 **Achievement Unlocked – One Hit Kill**

 **Achievement Unlocked – Goliath, Meet David**

 **Fame Increased!**

 **Infamy Increased!**

 **You have gained 2500EXP!**

 **You have leveled up!**

 **Level 1 Level 2!**

 **You have (7) undistributed stat points.**

It said a lot about the type of environment I lived in, that my casual murder of two men, was immediately received with warm, open hands, and genuine, impressed smiles.

"Hahahaha! That's my boy!"

The manner in which Gato ruffled my hair and uttered those words made me feel like I was Spike being patted on the head by Butch, simply for chasing Tom up a tree. Strangely enough, I was completely okay with this.

Hmm… could I become a serial killer in this manner?

Wait, most shinobi were already serial killers by default, so even I gathered up all the pedophiles I could find and slit their throats, no one would bat an eyelash.

Meh, I'd stick with my plan of fucking up the world's economy.

First things first though – my eyes scanned the ridiculously atrocious city which I technically 'owned', and I shook my head.

Yeah… no. It would be best to have people worship the ground upon which I walked, and treating me like I was a deity sent from Kami directly, than for them to live in poverty and suffering, and cursing out my name from the streets. The French Revolution was a prime example of just what would happen if Gato continued to step on the toes of the poor people with nothing to lose.

I was certain that this tale, of me 'standing up for' a useless, no-named, prostitute would immediately spread from the woman's lips, to the lips of others in her business, to the lips of the locals, and just like that, I would have started to integrate myself as the people's champion.

Had I actually _cared_ about the whore's plight?

Pft. _No_.

She was a prostitute – she already slept with men for a living, why in the world should I care if two people decided that they didn't want to pay her or _ask_ her for services she already diligently offered?

But, of course, the people around me _believed_ that I cared – and that was the entire point.

I grinned.

It was all a matter of time.

* * *

 **S - O - G**

* * *

"To think, that I had actually once believed that my son was a spineless bookworm who couldn't hurt a fly!"

I sighed, pinching my nose, and not responding in lieu of the smell of human excreta.

"Do humans _always_ shit themselves when they die?"

"Actually," Kitami Hiro, Gato's elite guard squad leader spoke up, "I think these ones shit themselves _before_ they died."

Gato smirked. "Serves the cowards right. To think that they actually believed that they could get away with stealing from _me?_ Bah!"

"I get the whole 'execute the traitors' thing, but was there any particular reason why you had _me_ kill all of them?"

He shrugged. "I wanted to mold you into a man who could do what needed to be done in this shitty, dog-eat-dog world of ours. I never expected you to be so good at it though."

"They were tied up, crying, and begging about how they have wives or children. Even a dog could have dragged the sword across their necks – I don't see how that makes me good at killing."

Hiro dumped a body into the slowly growing pile. "You didn't hesitate. It was one thing to see you kill what you assumed to be rapists, and another thing to kill begging, sniveling men and _women_."

I coughed, as fire was set to the pile of bodies. "They weren't innocent people."

Hiro rose an eyebrow. "Because they stole from your father?"

The smell of burning meat hit my nostrils. "No."

I couldn't particularly tell them that one had been an abusive husband who got off on beating his wife into submission and watching her cry, and one woman had been a black widower who married and poisoned eight husbands and their children to get their inheritances. Probably because I wasn't supposed to know this, but I did, courtesy of my Observe skill, and it made it relatively easier to kill fictional characters, when you had their rap sheet of evil deeds and crimes right in front of you.

A shame that I only got 1EXP per head though. Still, 21EXP wasn't all that bad for a few minutes of work.

"Alright!" Gato clapped his hands. "I believe that covers most of what we can do for today. You did good work Junior, very good. I've got some business and expansion opportunities that'll be taking me to the Land of Earth next month. When that time comes, I'll be confident to leave Waterlily Town in your care."

Hiro glanced at him, and then back at me. "Gato-sama, most people would find it extremely odd to leave such responsibility to a child that is less than half a decade old."

Gato shrugged. "That's their bloody business. After what I've seen today, and taking into account Junior's book smarts – I trust him more than I do any of these so called _managers_."

"I'm still here you know."

"Of course," Gato then grinned at me, "I'll leave Hiro here with you. We have to make sure you're protected from those savages in the village, and also, we have to make sure that those damned foggers don't try anything funny with their war heating up down south."

I rose an eyebrow, turning to Hiro. "Foggers?"

"He means the shinobi from Kirigakure no Sato. That's a derogatory term by the way, I'd advise you not to say it near any of them if you like your head attached to your neck."

The image of particular man with a giant butcher knife flashed into my mind.

I rubbed my neck slowly. "Duly noted."

Gato snorted. "The foggers know better than to attack civilian cities under the Daimyo's control. Their little civil war would end the second they did that, as it doesn't matter _who_ attacked, just that _shinobi_ did – and like that, the Daimyo would remove all thier funding, send in his samurai and hire help from foreign villages if need be, and put every last one of them in the ground."

Huh. Well that explained that. I had always wondered why the Kage in villages humored the Daimyo, when they had super-ninja powers and the Daimyo were just plain old men. Turns out, ninja villages don't necessarily produce any consumables that can be sold, or at least, they don't produce it in enough quantity for them to be self-sufficient. The Daimyo was the one who provided major funds to the shinobi villages, and without them or the civilians who hired shinobi, well – their entire economy would collapse in days.

Of course, the Kiri civil war would never turn in that direction, because it was really Obito angsting out about how Kirigakure killed his childhood crush, and as such, he decided it would be justified to completely destroy the lives and homes of dozens of innocents who had nothing to do with any of it.

Wow. Sounds really pathetic when you think about it – and doubly more so when you realized that this guy who masterminded the closest thing to a genocide, eventually died a 'forgiven' and 'changed' man, redeemed, happy, and got to meet his childhood crush in the afterlife.

All those nameless extras that died at his machinations? Well, they don't matter, he's forgiven and happy, after creating dozens of widowers, widows and orphans.

Total. Bullshit.

Alright, it seemed that I was going to have to interfere in the Bloodline Purges. Even if I couldn't end it completely, I was certainly sure I could manage to _mitigate_ some of the damages. Which led me to staring back at my status screen.

* * *

 **Name: Gato Junior**

 **HP: 100/100**

 **CHK: 10/10**

 **Level: 2**

 **Age: 4**

 **Rank: Civilian**

 **Title: Little Cutthroat**

 **EXP: 2521/3000**

 **SPECIAL**

 **Strength: 4 (-2) [E– Rank]**

 **Perseverance: 6 (-2) [E– Rank]**

 **Endurance: 6 (-2) [E– Rank]**

 **Charisma: 2 (+20) [D– Rank]**

 **Intelligence: 4 (+20) [D– Rank]**

 **Agility: 4 (-2) [E– Rank]**

 **Luck: 0 [F Rank]**

 **Status**

 **Buffs:**

 **N/A**

 **Debuffs:**

 **(Malnourished: -2 penalty to Strength, Perseverance and Endurance)**

 **Foils:**

 **(Strong Civilian Heritage: Possesses less Chakra than the average human, 60% harder to increase Chakra reserves)**

 **(Son of the Monster: –50% Reputation Gains with Civilians.)**

 **(Machiavellian Principle: –50% Reputation Gains with Honorable or Good Characters, +50% Reputation Gains with Amoral or Evil Characters)**

 **Boons:**

 **(Arithmetic Prodigy: Grants +20 to Intelligence)**

 **(Utilitarian Principle: Grants +20 to Charisma)**

 **(Size Matters: Grants Perfect Chakra Control if Chakra reserves are less than or equal to available Health Points.)**

 **Bio**

 **Gato Junior, or Gat, or Junior, is the son of the prominent, but often amoral Business Tycoon Gato, and the sole heir to the Gato Shipping Conglomerate. Possessing a brilliant mind, a flair to be overly dramatic and pointlessly deep, he believes himself to be a genuine psychopath who will take over the world, enslave its women and become a God-Emperor.**

* * *

All at once, I paused.

Wait, why was I going to try and stop the Bloodline Purges? Weren't these just fictional characters? 'Fake' people in an equally 'fake' world? What did it matter that hundreds of random nobodies died? How did it affect me?

"Come on, let's head home. We have big things to plan for Junior, lots of big things."

I shook my head, ignoring the whim as it had come. There was no need for me to do anything that would interfere in that. I saw no need for me to bother risking my life, as I was, four years old, all in the name of the lives of a bunch of nobodies.

Maybe when I grew older, but then again, maybe not.

For now, I'd bide my time. I'd think and _play_ smart, rather than acting like those traditional gamers who wanted to rule the world with their fists. No, I'd be the man who conquered the world with nothing more than pen and paper.

I'd win this blasted game – or I'd die trying.


	3. More Equal

**Another one - yup.**

 **By the way - to the anonymous guy screaming Gary stu and what not - don't bother flaming me anonymously - I've got anonymous filters on and I'll just delete it, making your time wasted. You got a problem with the way I do things? Well man up and write with an account instead of pussying out. Don't be a bitch.**

 **I write a character who's clearly not all that right in the head, and suddenly it's a Gary Stu? I don't think people even know the meaning of that term anymore.**

 **Now on to more positive stuff!**

 **Mr Tickles MMM: Holy shit dude, thanks for the epic review. I mean, damn! You brought up tons of valid points and questions and even some plot holes that I had no idea existed, and I agree about the evil of Obito and Orochimaru - little Junior will have a _long_ way to go to even be considered half as evil as those guys. I'll try and plug up some of the plot holes you noticed, and likewise, I'll give an explanation to everything asked. Thanks bro!**

 **Blazing heart frigid soul: I see your point man, but he's not going to rely _completely_ on just pen and paper. But _majorly_ on it. Doesn't mean he won't be learning how to kick ass later on. And as for what happens when he dies? Hehe. That's a secret.**

 **SpiritSage124: Thanks for the review bro, and as for Junior's past or reason why he's the way he is - well, for now, let's just say that his first life wasn't all bed and roses as you'll find out much later on.**

 **Now, let's get back to the story!**

* * *

 **Year Four, Month Four**

"I expect big things from you boy, very big things."

I rolled my eyes as I watched the man hobble his way into the boat.

"Yes, yes, I'll be sure to do things that the Elemental Nations have never seen before."

Gato snorted, the sound getting slightly lost amidst the crashing of waves and cries of seagulls, the calls of men to board other ships, and the hustle and bustle of the port.

"I'm only going to be gone for six months boy. Don't get cocky now and think that you can make a large difference in that time."

It was my turn to snort. "It's not cockiness. It's confidence."

Now, it was his turn to roll his eyes. "Right," he then turned to my side, "Kitami, ensure that my son doesn't get in over his head while I'm gone."

Kitami Hiro, elite samurai and bodyguard extraordinaire, turned to me, his eyes indicating that he was not quite appreciating his new employment as a babysitter. "Yes… Gato-sama."

"Well, now that all of that is settled," a grin came upon the man's face as he turned around and yelled into his luxury boat "Where the hell is my bottle of sake, and the exotic geishas I ordered?"

I shook my head, and in my peripheral vision, I noticed Kitami doing his best to avoid snorting. Instead, we merely watched the boat eventually pull out from the docks, letting out a large honk of its horn, as it slowly, but certainly, began to trail out into the distance, far away from where my line of sight ended.

Then, a massive grin eventually spread on my face.

"You seem to be rather happy about your father's departure."

Oh, rats, I forgot that my baby-sitter was still here.

"I am."

The man rose an eyebrow at me.

"And why exactly would that be?"

I turned my gaze around, and stared at the port. "Let's just say… I'm not certain my father would approve of my methods of… _management._ "

He stared at me oddly for a long bit, before I grinned and then smiled at him.

"Don't worry about it Kitami-san," I said, gesturing my hands into my pockets, but actually withdrawing from my Inventory, a small wad of notes "Just go get yourself a beer, or two, or get yourself the whole bar if you want. I'll be at the mansion for the rest of the week – by next Monday though, I'll be needing you around."

The man looked at me, and looked back at the money, before he shook his head and let out a sigh.

"It's your funeral kid."

I watched him leave and resisted the urge to immediately begin a string of long, maniacal laughter, easily worthy of Doctor Heinz Doofenshmirtz.

Let the first phase begin.

* * *

On getting home, the first thing that came to my mind was to immediately attribute the special points I had recently gotten, as well as to check up on my stats.

 **Name: Gato Junior**

 **HP: 100/100**

 **CHK: 10/10**

 **Level: 2**

 **Age: 4**

 **Rank: Civilian**

 **Title: Little Cutthroat**

 **EXP: 2521/3000**

 **Money: Approx. 60,000,000,000 Ryo**

 **SPECIAL**

 **Strength: 4 (-2) [E– Rank]**

 **Perseverance: 6 (-2) [E– Rank]**

 **Endurance: 6 (-2) [E– Rank]**

 **Charisma: 2 (+20) [D– Rank]**

 **Intelligence: 4 (+20) [D– Rank]**

 **Agility: 4 (-2) [E– Rank]**

 **Luck: 0 [F Rank]**

 **Status**

 **Buffs:**

 **N/A**

 **Debuffs:**

 **(Malnourished: -2 penalty to Strength, Perseverance and Endurance)**

 **Foils:**

 **(Strong Civilian Heritage: Possesses less Chakra than the average human, 60% harder to increase Chakra reserves)**

 **(Son of the Monster: –50% Reputation Gains with Civilians.)**

 **(Machiavellian Principle: –50% Reputation Gains with Honorable or Good Characters, +50% Reputation Gains with Amoral or Evil Characters)**

 **Boons:**

 **(Arithmetic Prodigy: Grants +20 to Intelligence)**

 **(Utilitarian Principle: Grants +20 to Charisma)**

 **(Size Matters: Grants Perfect Chakra Control if Chakra reserves are less than or equal to available Health Points.)**

 **Bio**

 **Gato Junior, or Gat, or Junior, is the son of the prominent, but often amoral Business Tycoon Gato, and the sole heir to the Gato Shipping Conglomerate. Possessing a brilliant mind, a flair to be overly dramatic and pointlessly deep, he believes himself to be a genuine psychopath who will take over the world, enslave its women and become a God-Emperor.**

 **(You have seven (7) undistributed Spec points.)**

Yes, that was indeed, _sixty billion_ that was there. Effectively meaning, that the income I got from the shipping business was instantly accessible to me via my gaming abilities. Regardless, I focused instead on my spec points, and without hesitating, I dumped all seven of them into Charisma, bringing it up to a total of 9 points, but actually 29 when added with the boons.

Most people would consider me crazy for wasting points on Charisma of all things, but it was essential, as everything else, Strength, Agility, Endurance and Perseverance could all be increased by future training. I was _still_ four years old, so right now, unless I intended to get into fights, the most useful skill for me was my Charisma.

My charisma was also useful in certain _other_ senses.

"A-are you sure about this Gato-sama?"

I ignored the slightly uncomfortable rope which bound me to the bed in favor of turning my attention back to the maid.

"Please, I'm not my father, call me Junior instead. Or Gat."

The maid, standing across me in the room, clad in black leather, couldn't help but frown.

"Junior-sama, _are_ you sure about this?"

I sighed, before subvocalizing a brief observe under my breath as I gazed at the woman. Information about her name and everything else immediately entered my mind.

"Riko," I started, causing her to be startled in surprise at the realization that I knew her name "This is perfectly fine. I _want_ you to use that whip and hit me as much as you can, as many times as you can, and mix in some pleasure with it so it doesn't get boring."

"Junior-sama, if your father found out that I actually hit you –"

"He'd probably give you an _award_ , considering how often he loves to whip out his belt and smack me."

Still, she seemed slightly distressed. "Junior-sama, as much as I am flattered by the fact that you consider me attractive enough to make this request…"

Which was strangely true. She was hot.

"…you are _four_ years old! I can't sexually whip a four year old!"

"I'll give you four million ryo."

Silence.

And then –

 _SMACK!_

"You've been a _naughty_ little boy J-u-n-i-o-r~!"

Ah, money answereth all things.

 **[Physical Endurance has levelled up! Level 4 – Level 5.] – [Reduces Damage done by Physical Strikes by 5%]**

* * *

Part of me felt strangely proud, and another part of me felt strangely amused, that I had effectively gotten a woman to beat up, kiss, and then later give a blowjob to a four year old boy, simply for what was, to me, a paltry sum of money.

I had the body of a four year old, but the mind of a nineteen year old, hence, to me, the sexual act was nothing new. Of course, Riko didn't know that, and from her perspective, she had become a pedophile for cash. Though, considering that I had _asked_ her to do it, did it really count?

Meh. It didn't matter. This wasn't "Earth" with its fixed rules and morality.

I needed my Physical Endurance skill to go up, because my experience with playing a particular game called Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning, once had me with a character that was nigh-invulnerable thanks to an enchanted armor set which reduced all physical damage by 80%. The only thing that gave me trouble in that game had been enemies that used magic to attack, rather than physical strikes.

The results, after one week of our "sessions" had proved to be fruitful, as it came threefold.

 **[Physical Endurance (Passive) Level 62] – [Reduces Damage done by Physical Strikes by 62%]**

The first, was the eventual increase of my Physical Endurance to a total proud level of 62, and the ultimate reduction from the amount of pain I now felt overall. Of course, seeing as how I now felt 62% less pain from being hit or cut or whipped or stabbed – it had made it intensely more difficult to increase the skill any further, as Riko's energetic whip against my back and all her spanking had ultimately began to feel nothing more than love-taps.

The level cap for the Physical Endurance skill was probably hundred, and I did _not_ want to imagine just how much pain I would need to get it to that level. Of course, considering the life which I intended to live, something told me that I would be levelling it up one way or another.

The second result of the one week of _Fifty Shades of Shotacon_ , had come in the surprise of a new boon.

 **From repeating certain pattern of actions, you have unlocked a new boon!**

 **Serial Masochist**

 **20% of All Damage Taken is Converted to HP**

Yes, I had become a masochist. I could care less about labels, when the benefits were directly in front of me, in the form of always regaining health whenever I was attacked. This, in collaboration with my increased physical endurance, absolutely guaranteed that I would survive any and all assassination attempts and/or lynching attempts by any angry mobs.

Yes, what I had planned in mind was dangerous enough for me to need that precaution.

Finally, the last, and arguably most rewarding thing about getting whipped nonstop for a week, had come in the form, of the SPEC boosts.

 **For getting the Physical Endurance Skill to Level 10, your endurance has gone up by one! Your Perserverance has gone up by one! You have gained permanent +5HP and +1CHK!**

 **For getting the Physical Endurance Skill to Level 20, your endurance has gone up by five! Your Perserverance has gone up by three! You have gained permanent +10HP and +5CHK!**

 **For getting the Physical Endurance Skill to Level 30, your endurance has gone up by ten! Your Perserverance has gone up by five! You have gained permanent +15HP and +10CHK!**

 **For getting the Physical Endurance Skill to Level 50, your endurance has gone up by fifteen! Your Perserverance has gone up by ten! You have gained permanent +20HP and +15CHK!**

31 Endurance, 19 Perseverance, 50HP and 31CHK – all for allowing a woman whip me.

I was tempted to rush back and tell her to continue, if only slightly, but this had been a one-time thing, and my Physical Endurance skill would grow no higher. And there was also the fact that she had skedaddled out of the Land of Water the second I handed her the promised four million Ryo. Smart woman, she was. A shame though, because I would have loved to turn things around and have her be the one I whipped.

With all of this now present, I took some time to glance over my stats once more.

 **Name: Gato Junior**

 **HP: 150/150**

 **CHK: 41/41**

 **Level: 2**

 **SPECIAL**

 **Strength: 4 (-2) [E– Rank]**

 **Perseverance: 25 (-2) [D Rank]**

 **Endurance: 37 (-2) [C Rank]**

 **Charisma: 9 (+20) [D Rank]**

 **Intelligence: 4 (+20) [D– Rank]**

 **Agility: 4 (-2) [E– Rank]**

 **Luck: 0 [F Rank]**

As it stood, I had C Rank Endurance, which meant I, a four year old boy, had as much Endurance as the average Chunin. The D Rank Charisma and Perseverance also indicated that I had the average stats for an average Genin, which was good. It meant that I could now _outlast_ Academy students in a fight if need be – though, with my pitiful Strength and Agility scores, they would have no problem overpowering me.

I wondered if there were any shortcuts like I just used that would help me raise my Strength and Agility very quickly? Shaking my head, I realized that it didn't matter, for now. Instead, I turned my attention towards my D Rank charisma, and I realized that if I got one more point in it, I'd get it to D+ Rank, which meant, I would have more Charisma than the average Genin, being sort of like a squad leader in that sense.

Being as charismatic as a Genin might seem like something completely menial, but, that was only if you forgot to take into account the roles that Genin played in the Shinobi Villages. They were hired by the people, gained rapport with them via helping them with certain tasks and menial chores, increasing the people's sense of pride and trust in them.

Why?

Because when an enemy village attacked, or in times of war, who stayed behind to help the civilians evacuate?

Who rushed the civilians to the shelters and stayed there to protect them from possible intruders?

Who ensured that people were accounted for, and that no one had gone missing or straggled off in their time of danger and need?

While the Chunin and Jonin focused on repelling the attackers, the Genin focused on saving and protecting the Civilians. Hence, the average Genin was _far_ more charismatic and commanded more appeal and authority than the average civilian. And having the Charisma of an _Elite_ Genin, would likewise increase how I could influence the civilians around me, and get them to listen and obey my orders or instructions.

This meant… I was finally ready.

* * *

"Why exactly _did_ you ask us this again, Gat-sama?"

There, in the dead center of Waterlily Town, I stood.

"Because if it failed to occur to you, I'm a bit on the small side, and the people wouldn't be able to see me without the podium."

Kitami rubbed his nose. "I meant, why are we building a podium in the middle of the town square?"

I smirked, easily noticing the numerous eyes that were on my form. "Simple. To draw the people's attention and get them to gather round."

Kitami growled. "And _why_ do you want the people," he said this with his left hand threateningly placed on one of his blades, particularly as the gathered crowd grew larger and larger "to gather round, Gat-sama?"

My smirk grew wider, as I immediately put one hand to my ear and gestured. "Just… _listen_."

And so… he did.

"Isn't that –"

"The boy who stopped those men –"

"He stood up for Qin's mother –"

"I heard he killed four, fully grown men who wanted to harass her –"

"I heard it was eight! And they were all armed, but he charged in valiantly –"

"I thought it was sixteen? And weren't they shinobi –"

Kitami's eyebrow rose, but his voice lowered. "It appears rumors of your deed have grown… rather exaggeratedly too."

"Of course, _I_ had _absolutely_ nothing to do with how fast it spread. But the people, they _want_ to believe in a hero, now don't they?"

I failed to resist the tug on my lips, and Kitami's eyes widened.

"You didn't –"

I nodded, whispering. "You'd be surprised what a few well-placed ryo here and there can do."

 **Reputation with Kitami Hiro has gone up!**

I blinked at the notification, before realizing that the man was actually _smiling_ for once, even as he shook his head.

"Unbelievable. Simply – unbelievable."

"Well then, get ready to become a believer."

I walked up to the center podium, the whispers and murmurs growing larger and louder, until, all at once, I rose my hand.

 **{25/29} Charisma Check Passed!**

The manner in which silence overcame everyone was almost bone-chilling. Maybe it was because I had worn my good clothes today. Maybe it was because of how my eyes were sharpened like razors and needles, and my posture was straighter than trees and rulers. Regardless of what it was, I could also _feel_ myself get more confident.

And so, I began.

"Who amongst you, gathered here today, is free?"

Silence. Then, some mutterings came out and about, some grumblings, some people arguing that they were _not_ slaves.

"If you believe, that you are free, that you are not bound or enslaved to anyone, that you have no masters and no lords, and that all the choices you make are solely yours and yours alone, then, raise your hands."

To no one's surprise at all, a large number of hands went up.

Then, slowly, I nodded, before clapping my hands.

The rest of my father's thugs and hired muscle that had been building the podium all gathered round, completely encircling the crowd, amidst gazes of confusion and uncertainty.

"Kill everyone whose hands went up."

Utter. Silence.

Then, the sounds of several blades unsheathing echoed into the air like the cries of the Shinigami himself. Several men and women several men and women were immediately seized and shocked, frightened yells rang out, before –

"Stop."

All movement stopped.

"Sheathe your weapons, and move three feet backwards."

The instructions were followed, to the letter.

"I ask again," my voice coming out crisply "Who amongst you, gathered here today, is free?"

To no one's surprise, absolutely no hands went up.

"Now, I ask, who amongst you, _wants_ to be free?" I walked forward, to the very edge of the podium, ignoring Kitami's wary looks.

"Who amongst you here, wants to experience wealth? Who amongst you, wants to stop sleeping in the ditches? Who amongst you, wants to stop whoring out your bodies for a paltry sum?"

Murmurs. Whispers. And so, I increased my voice.

"Who amongst you, wants to wear fancy garments? Who amongst you, wants to eat the best food the world has to offer? Who amongst you, wants to experience wealth and riches that would make the Daimyo himself look like a schoolboy with pocket change?"

The murmurs grew louder, the whispers did as well, gathering, coalescing, even as I could feel my voice getting slightly hoarse.

"My father might be a tyrant, but I am _not_ my father. No, I am not here to rule over you, nor am I here to gloat or lie. I am here, because I am _angry_."

I turned my glare to the crowd.

"I am _angry_ at all of you. I am angry at your wasted potential. I am angry, angry at the pitiful excuse you call living. I am angry, at seeing how so many people who could become _much_ more, are here, suffering, dying and wasting away. I AM ANGRY!"

I panted.

"And you should be too."

Complete. Silence.

I shook my head. "For those of you here, who wish to become something more, who are _angry_ with how your lives have been so far, with your poverty, with your struggles, with scraping day after day to get a meal – then, tomorrow morning, be here, ready, strong, and determined to make a difference. To change _your_ lives."

I turned around.

"And to those who are _not_ ready. Who are happy with their chains of oppression and desperately lick the heels of their oppressors – then you may continue as you always have, and perhaps the Shinigami may find such an empty soul unworthy of ever reaping."

And like that, I walked off the podium, even as Kitami trailed behind me silently, and the thugs lined up and marched in front of us.

I didn't bother looking back, because merely the sound of the uproar alone, was immensely satisfying.

 _ **Special Event Completed!**_

 **Freedom and Anger**

 **Reputation with Kitami Hiro Greatly Increased!**

 **Reputation with the Fourteen Gates Greatly Increased!**

 **Reputation with the people of Waterlily Port Town Increased!**

 **Fame Increased!**

 **Infamy Increased!**

 **For successfully delivering a speech, your Charisma has gone up by ten!**

 **You have gained 400EXP!**

* * *

"I don't ever say this often but… I'll say it. Kid, I'm impressed."

I ignored the urge to grin, especially considering the fact that doing so in front of the _thousands_ or so people who had showed up would look very, very, wrong. Waterlily Town Port had a total population count of just a little under 2500 people, and though only about 100 people had been around for my speech yesterday, according to my **Economic Observation** , there were now _one thousand seven hundred_ people present here, ready and eager to listen to what more I had to say.

"Thank you Kitami-san. To be honest, I'm a little impressed with myself as well."

Who knew that imitating and twisting Cersei Lannister's words and actions would work so well?

 **New Territory Attained!**

 **Waterlily Port Town**

 **The town connected to a major port that has been under Gato's control for over six years, and as such, has greatly suffered due to the incredibly high taxation rates, and the sheer malevolence of Gato's apathy.**

 **Statistical Information:**

 **Taxation Rate: Ludicrously High**

 **Illiteracy Rate: 91.9%**

 **Poverty Rate: 93.7%**

 **Unemployment Rate: 82.5%**

 **Birth Rate: 42.4%**

 **Death Rate: 71.5%**

 **Environmental Cleanliness: 11%**

 **Populace Satisfaction: 4%**

 **[Note: Low ratings of Environment Cleanliness equal higher frequency of diseases and illnesses, and potential spreads of viruses/epidemics.]**

 **Infrastructural Information:**

 **No. of Hospitals: 0**

 **No. of Schools: 0**

 **No. of Industries: 0**

 **No. of Casinos: 0**

 **No. of Geisha Houses: 0**

 **No. of Brothels: 1**

 **No. of Hotels: 0**

 **No. of Hot Springs: 0**

 **No. of Tourist Attractions: 0**

Well, I _definitely_ had my work cut out for me. I cursed Gato under my breath, at the realization of just how much damage this man could do to a place without even trying. Who knows just how much worse it would have been if he was _actively_ trying to run this place to the ground?

Craning my neck and my knuckles, I turned my gaze back to the gathered masses, where my **Job Dissemination** skill immediately supplied me with the appropriate knowledge of just what exactly needed to be done.

First, these people were still poor and uneducated, which meant that as they were, they were still malleable. They were like clay, easy to be molded into the shape I wanted, so that once I did eventually give them the enlightenment they so desperately needed, what they knew and believed would be so indoctrinated in them, that they would never once consider how it could be wrong.

To that end, I needed to make a cult.

"This meeting shall now commence. Henceforth, when we gather, we shall remember the saying: All men are born equal –"

" _All men are born equal –_ "

I smiled.

"But some men, are more equal than others."


	4. Baby Steps

**Holy shit! Nearly a 100 follows in just what - ten days? Damn! And here I thought that I was writing barely passable crap. Thanks y'all!**

 **Also, got a new fic. A DC-Gamer fic. Just starting up, and this is a shameless advertisment for it. Also, like this fic, dark.**

 **Onwards with the story via...**

 **Timeskip!**

* * *

 **Year Four, Month Ten**

Gato was not used to people meeting his expectations.

The business tycoon had always dealt with people who gave him excuse after excuse as they failed to fully match up to what they claimed they could do, or what they were _supposed_ to do, and through this all, he had grown accustomed to the sheer incompetency of the people that surrounded him. He had learnt, through repeated trial and error, through practice, that it was never wise for you to rely on anyone except yourself. Humans and people were fickle and unfaithful, and they were almost always incapable of performing the tasks and activities that they set out to do.

This was why, as he sailed back to Mizu no Kuni, or more accurately, back to Waterlily Town, he had already put his expectations somewhat low. The worst case scenario would be returning and realizing that his son had done absolutely nothing, and as such, he had made a huge loss. The best case scenario would be a scenario in which everything was still as he remembered it, and any scenario better than that was the idealistic scenario.

This was why, he was absolutely flabbergasted at the welcoming party that awaited him once the ship had docked.

"Welcome home Gato-sama~!"

There, at the docks, were a series of beautiful women, in outfits that were bikinis, chanting his name, as a small banner with the kanji for 'welcome' was hung on large display.

His son stood front and center, with Kitami standing beside him, though, he idly noted that the man's posture and appearance seemed to be incredibly different from what it had been six months ago. If anything, the man looked more… _capable_ , and incredibly more dangerous as well.

Then, there was his son.

While it was good to realize that his son wasn't quite as scrawny as he remembered, he was surprised by the fact that the boy had grown a good six or seven inches in such a short time frame.

Most importantly though, was the manner in which the boy carried himself.

There was an air around him that Gato couldn't place, an air which permeated his form, seemed to sharpen his clothes and elevate his standing above everyone who stood beside and around him. It was an air of command, an air, in which, if the boy were to demand that Gato jump into the ocean and swim, the man would ask if he were to use to breaststroke or backstroke.

It was slightly disconcerting, and if Gato had not known that this was his own son, and had not known how he was six months ago, he would have mistaken the boy for royalty, for a foreign prince or a distinguished ruler, with an appeal that far outstripped anything the man himself was capable of.

Also, his son had gotten ridiculously handsome.

Four year olds were not meant to have faces that could tempt women to become pedophiles.

"Alright boy, I'll bite. What sorcery did you use?"

He smiled. "I have absolutely no idea as to what you mean father."

Sweet heavens, even the boy's tongue was deceptively sweet. Had Gato been someone who didn't know any better, or worse, a woman, he would have believed those words as though they were the gospel truth. However, he instead rubbed his nose in irritation and gave the boy a stern gaze.

"You have almost as much charm as the recently dead pretty boy Hokage, and that's saying something."

The effect seemed to crack, as the boy's face twisted into surprise. Genuine one, Gato noted.

"What?"

"I said –"

"The Hokage's dead?"

Gato rose an eyebrow. "Huh. I thought you of all people would keep your ears to the ground about local events boy. The Yondaime Hokage's dead. Shinobi in the Land of Earth partied all night long when they heard about it – sacrificed his life to kill a biju and what-not." He snorted. "Idiots, those tree-fuckers are."

There it was again, that contemplation in the boy's eyes. The boy probably though that he didn't notice it, but Gato did, Gato noticed the way his son's eyes would always switch to calculating, planning, contemplating, and he had always been doing it, ever since the boy was born.

Gato couldn't help but grin in pride.

His son was perfect. Cunning, ruthless, and now, possessing a deceptively deadly amount of charm. He was the perfect tool he needed to dethrone the God-Men that decided to play house in their tiny little villages. Men, powerful enough to reshape countries, summon storms and lightning, manipulate the weather and breathe fire –

The closest things to god in the world were Shinobi – and yet, they chose to become _human_.

Bah! If he could do what they could do, he would have enslaved the world long ago and enjoyed its benefits.

Still, that was what his son was for, to succeed where he failed, to conquer everyone and everything, to rule supreme as emperor of the world.

"Now, tell me boy, how well have you imprinted on this town?"

The boy looked like a deer caught by lightning.

"What?"

Gato snorted. "Don't play dumb. I saw it in your eyes from the very second I told you about my trip – you wanted me gone so you could turn the town to your little playpen. And judging by how Kitami over there seems to be more inclined with staying at your side than greeting me, I'd say you've done something worth winning over his loyalty."

Again, Junior's eyes widened.

"It's in your reactions fool. And looking like a fish caught out of water when I call you out on your stunts isn't helping. Maintain the façade of ignorance or apathy, and never let that mask drop unless you want everyone to know your plans."

His jaw dropped.

Gato rolled his eyes. "We need to work on that. You would not last five minutes in a conversation with a halfway decent Politician without spilling half of your secrets from your eyes and face alone, let alone a Jonin, Kage or Daimyo."

"I – huh. And here I thought I was – I mean –"

Gato moved up to Junior, who was clearly flummoxed and irritated, before patting him on his head. "You still have a lot to learn brat. What did you think, that you could learn it all in six months? Hah! Even I'm not that arrogant."

He completed ignored Kitami, who gave him a respectful bow, but one which made it clear of his shifted allegiance, before shrugging and continuing his walk.

"Come on now Junior! Let's see what you've done with the place."

* * *

 **S - O - G**

* * *

It was official. Gato was _dangerous_.

"Hoh! You cleaned up all the dirt and grime! This place is looking spotless!"

There was no way this man who had shrugged off my charisma and seen through my intentions so broadly was the same idiot that had let himself be killed by Zabuza. No. Fucking. Way.

"Paved streets? Street lamps? Running electricity? Color me impressed."

By that merit, it meant that most of the other 'characters' I would meet, would, or should, be more intelligent, or more dangerous than what I had originally anticipated. This in turn meant, that taking over this world was _not_ going to be quite as easy as I had anticipated.

"Ah, it's Shepherd-sama!"

"Shepherd-sama!"

"Oh?" Gato's grin widened "You've even brainwashed the public into reverence. That's more advanced than I thought."

I resisted the urge to grit my teeth. This was _not_ going the way I had expected at all. I had been expecting Gato to come back, and to be marveling in awe at the amount of things I had accomplished while he was away, as he proceeded to become another minion under my thumb courtesy of my increased Charisma. Or failing that, I had expected him to become arrogant, conceited, and angry that his son had usurped his authority, which would then lead to the unfortunate task of me having to kill him, and take over his entire shipping conglomerate earlier than intended. Instead, I discover, that he was _anticipating_ me changing stuff.

All at once, his words about 'expecting great things' were no longer sounding hollow.

"What's this?"

We came to a stop at a large banner in the middle of the town square, which, as it stood, now had a statue of me standing tall, with words being held on my shoulders.

 **War is Peace**

 **Freedom is Slavery**

 **Ignorance is Strength**

"Hmm… effective. I like it."

"You know," I snapped, "You _could_ pretend to be a little bit surprised. Just a little bit."

"Hah, did I hurt your fragile pride boy?"

"No." I said, far sooner than I liked.

 **{97/120} Charisma Check Failed!**

Gato smirked at me.

Damn it! I had to have over a hundred Charisma to sway him? That so was not fair.

And I realized that I was actually whining about something for once. This was unlike me, but seeing Gato's smug, 'I-expected-this-all-along' face was incredibly, _incredibly_ grating.

"Let this be a lesson boy. Fascinating and smart as you think you are, crafty and wily, as you feel you may be, there is always someone out there, craftier, wilier, ready to knock you off your high horse and tell you, that you're not the biggest fish in the sea..."

His eyes were dead serious.

"You're the smallest sardine."

I could not help the saliva that coalesced in my mouth as I swallowed. A serious looking Gato was a more intimidating sight than I had expected, and, just a little bit, I could understand his point of view. Here he was, one of the richest and most powerful men in the world, and even he was considered weak and pitiful by shinobi. All it would take would be a Genin with a blunt knife to end his life and legacy – and it was not a comforting thought.

"Now stop your brooding and bitching, because it was amusing at first, but now it's just annoying. Don't make me whip out my belt boy – just because you're old enough to kill grown men doesn't mean you're old enough to avoid a lashing."

I nodded mechanically.

"Give me a rundown of what you've done so far."

I willed the screen to flash before my face, and began rattling off the relevant information as though I had it stored in my memory.

 **Territory**

 **Waterlily Port Town**

 **The town connected to a major port that has been under Gato's control for over six years, but left under your control and influence for six months, allowing it to thrive and prosper, developing faster than possible.**

 **Statistical Information:**

 **Taxation Rate: Low**

 **Illiteracy Rate: 49.9%**

 **Poverty Rate: 10.7%**

 **Unemployment Rate: 6.5%**

 **Birth Rate: 78.4%**

 **Death Rate: 20.5%**

 **Environmental Cleanliness: 99.9%**

 **Populace Satisfaction: 96%**

 **[Note: Low ratings of Environment Cleanliness equal higher frequency of diseases and illnesses, and potential spreads of viruses/epidemics.]**

 **Infrastructural Information:**

 **No. of Hospitals: 2**

 **No. of Schools: 5**

 **No. of Industries: 9**

 **No. of Casinos: 2**

 **No. of Geisha Houses: 7**

 **No. of Brothels: 10**

 **No. of Hotels: 1**

 **No. of Hot Springs: 0**

 **No. of Tourist Attractions: 1**

 **Cult Information:**

 **You have established a Cult amongst the people, rewriting their perspectives, stripping away their individuality, redrafting their history, preying on their gullibility and making them believe in your philosophical and religious "doctrines". Cults have the potential to spread across nations, increasing fame and/or infamy and their capacity to commit actions of great good or great evil.**

 **Cult of the Shepherd**

 **Leader/Ruler/High-Priest: Gat the Shepherd**

 **Designation of Followers: Sheep/Sheeple**

 **Philosophical Doctrine: The Sheep are lost without the Shepherd. The Sheep are devoured without the Shepherd. The Sheep are nothing without the Shepherd.**

 **Religious Doctrine: The Divine Shepherd is god.**

 **Mantras: Freedom is Slavery/Ignorance is Strength/All men are born equal, but some men are more equal than others.**

 **Devotees: 1189**

 **Brainwashing: 81%**

 **Fanaticism: 78%**

 **Loyalty: 95%**

 **Fame: Relatively Unknown**

 **Sphere of Influence: Land of Water**

For the Cult, I had selected Orwellian quotes and themes for the sheer novelty, and then I had called the followers sheeple for sheer comedic, and of course, ironic value. Part of me was tempted to just tell Gato only about the general improvements I had made to the place, and mention nothing of the cult, but I went along and told him about pretty much everything, because I had a feeling he would find out about it sooner or later.

As he stewed over the information, I also began to contemplate on the bombshell information that he had unknowingly given me. We were in October, and it seemed, that the Kyubi attack had just taken place.

I re-iterate, the Kyubi attack had just taken place.

This meant that I was four years older than the Konoha Twelve, and as it was, when 'canon' kicked up, I would be sixteen/seventeen instead of twelve. And by 'Shippuden', assuming I hadn't derailed the plot completely before then, I would be twenty/twenty-one. This also meant, that the Uchiha Massacre had not taken place, nor had Kumo's kidnapping attempt, nor had the Akatsuki's full formation. It also meant, that if I wanted to, it would be wiser for me to kill off all my competitors and possible enemies _now_ , before they became guaranteed threats. Or, I could just continue my plans and follow the whole ruining their economy route. Or perhaps, best, I could do both.

"Cults are fickle things to manage boy. The one I know of, the Cult of Jashin, started up as decently as a bunch of wimpy monks, and the next thing I know, they're a bunch of blood-crazed killers. You sure you know what you're doing?"

Well that was an interesting thing to know about Hidan's religion. "I'm sure."

He let his gaze linger on me for several more seconds. "Hmm." Then he went back to inspecting around and seeing the changes I had made.

And that – was that.

Gato was… strange. Most parents, I assume, would have been equal parts appalled or worried, but Gato was… Gato.

I could not tell if this was particularly a bad or a good thing.

"You pass."

I blinked, not sure if I heard that correctly.

"What?"

"I hadn't expected you to pass until maybe you were twelve at best, or sixteen at worst. But, somehow, you've exceeded my expectations in every way possible boy. So, you pass."

I wasn't sure my face could display my confusion any more than it currently had.

"What I'm saying boy, is that starting next year, you're free to go on your journey. Unless you have other things to do in the Land of Water, I'm not allowing you to stay here anymore, and I'll _kick_ you out if need be."

I was wrong. My face contorted into one of absolute confusion.

"There comes a time in every young boy's life where he travels the world and explores it for himself in search of something. A purpose, a reason, a goal. Some want to merely experience the world, and others, heh, others feel that it'd be better if they conquered it."

His eyes flickered towards me at that, and I resisted the urge to cough as I accidentally swallowed my own saliva.

 _He knows?_

"I went on this journey. My father. My grandfather. And now, you. It is to ensure that we never _stagnate_ , possessing wealth and riches, we are often tempted to become content with our lots and retreat into our comfort zones, like the Daimyo's who grow stupid and dull from their satisfied lives."

Gato snorted. "Anyway, you've got a good head on your shoulders, but you're still dense in certain areas. A little bit of exploring and travelling will do you good. Of course, where you go, you'll be representing me and the Shipping Corporation – so how you use this in your travels will be up to you."

I stared. "You – you're serious."

"Of course I am." he said, "I own the largest Shipping Corporation in the world boy. I never stay in one place for too long, and the only reason I have been in the Land of Water for so long was because of your birth – the sea is no place for a baby."

I… actually hadn't known that.

"So, my options are to have you follow me around everywhere I go, across the open sea for the rest of your life –"

My nose immediately scrunched up at that.

"Or to leave you here to your devices and little cult, where you'd eventually stagnate due to simply being superior to everyone around you, and lacking any challenges –"

…Which was kind of true. Hell, I had gotten Kitami to be my version of The Hound in just six months of impressing him, raising my reputation with him and overwhelming him with my natural charisma. This was not to say of how easily it would be for me to walk into the town and immediately command an orgy, and just like that, the people would obey.

"Or the third and final option, to give you the liberty to travel and grow. As long as you're still managing and expanding the Shipping Corporation – the freedom of where you go is entirely up to you."

Wow. Just wow.

I hadn't expected Gato of all people to be so… thoughtful.

"I'm four years old." I said, pointing that out.

He snorted. "And you're the leader of a cult, capable of managing and restoring a city economically damaged beyond repair, to a thriving, bustling metropolis."

Touché.

"Oh, and you seem to be under the impression that I was giving you a choice boy. I'm not. Come your fifth birthday – I'm kicking you out."

Ah, there was the evil-hearted bastard I knew.

"Now, where the hell is the nearest geisha house? I have an itch I need scratched."

Yup. Same, old Gato.

* * *

 **S - O - G**

* * *

I was born in January, which meant, that I only had two months to my birthday, and two months to prepare before Gato Spartan-kicked me out of the nest. With that knowledge in mind, I had decided to actually start working on the rest of my skills and stats, because I had no idea as to what I was going to face out there, and as such, being a weak civilian unable to defend myself would be one of the fastest ways I could get killed.

In the past six months, I hadn't actually leveled up or gained any stat increases, except for one stat, which made me grimace as I brought up my information.

 **Name: Gato Junior**

 **HP: 150/150**

 **CHK: 41/41**

 **Level: 2**

 **Age: 4**

 **Rank: Civilian**

 **Title: Little Cutthroat**

 **EXP: 2921/3000**

 **Money: Approx. 55,000,000,000 Ryo**

 **SPECIAL**

 **Strength: 4 (-2) [E– Rank]**

 **Perseverance: 25 (-2) [D Rank]**

 **Endurance: 37 (-2) [C Rank]**

 **Charisma: 77 (+20) [A– Rank]**

 **Intelligence: 19 (+20) [C Rank]**

 **Agility: 4 (-2) [E– Rank]**

 **Luck: 0 [F Rank]**

 **Status**

 **Buffs:**

 **N/A**

 **Debuffs:**

 **N/A**

 **Foils:**

 **(Strong Civilian Heritage: Possesses less Chakra than the average human, 60% harder to increase Chakra reserves)**

 **(Son of the Monster: –50% Reputation Gains with Civilians.)**

 **(Machiavellian Principle: –50% Reputation Gains with Honorable or Good Characters, +50% Reputation Gains with Amoral or Evil Characters)**

 **Boons:**

 **(Arithmetic Prodigy: Grants +20 to Intelligence)**

 **(Utilitarian Principle: Grants +20 to Charisma)**

 **(Size Matters: Grants Perfect Chakra Control if Chakra reserves are less than or equal to available Health Points.)**

 **Bio**

 **Gato Junior, or Gat, or Junior, is the son of the prominent, but often amoral Business Tycoon Gato, and the sole heir to the Gato Shipping Conglomerate. Possessing a brilliant mind, a flair to be overly dramatic and pointlessly deep, he believes himself to be a genuine psychopath who will take over the world, enslave its women and become a God-Emperor.**

I was A– Rank in Charisma, courtesy of giving numerous speeches and using a silver tongue to ensnare and capture. The A– Rank meant that I was more Charismatic than an ANBU Captain, and as Charismatic as a rookie Jonin. It also meant, that my Charisma would fail to impress or completely hold sway over an average or elite Jonin, let alone a Kage or S-Rank Shinobi, and, as Gato had displayed, it would also not be entirely as effective against highly experienced politicians or business men. Anyone else however, was completely fair game for me to twist their minds however I so wished.

However, this had me thinking, as to why people who often got reincarnated as a Gamer, were not strong enough to conquer the world after about six years. I mean, even the _original_ Gamer, that is, Mr. Han Jee-Han, had his Gamer ability for less than a year or two, max, and this was me being generous, before he was capable of going toe-to-toe with some of the overpowered characters of his own world.

If you lived as the Gamer for a _decade_ or _more_ , and had not yet become strong enough to curbstomp the big-bad in that time, then you were doing something seriously wrong.

My excuse, was that I had no plan of conquering the world with my fists.

Still, I rubbed my nose in irritation as I realized that I could have used these past six months to get some more Charisma training done, but instead, I had focused on building my cult and improving the town – which kind of sucked, considering that I'd be leaving it all behind in two months.

…But, my dearest father hadn't said anything about _not_ carrying my cult along now had he?

"Focus Gat, Focus. I have only two months left to prepare for the world. What do I need to do to ensure my survival, and how do I need to do it?"

For starters, I needed to improve my strength. Except, there was no quick way to do it right now, which meant…

Shortcut time.

Sitting down cross legged back at the mansion, I accessed my chakra for what felt like the first time in years, and the energy came soaring through my veins. I had perfect chakra control. This fact had been something I hadn't really cared about beforehand, but it would be useful now. I had _perfect chakra control_. It was a tradeoff for my pitifully low chakra capacity, as I was sure that Sakura would have more chakra than I would ever be able to wield, but still it was enough, because I had no goal of getting into long prolonged fights, but merely to be capable of defending myself well enough from most attackers.

To that end, one technique came to mind.

"Draw the chakra, focus, fine-tune, release at the point of contact –"

I slammed my fist into the ground in front of me.

– **4HP!**

And, it had not gone at all as planned. I was so glad I had gone through such intense pain-training, otherwise that impact would have hurt way more than it did. Still, I was determined not to give up.

"Draw the chakra, focus, fine-tune and then release at the point of contact –"

– **4HP!**

No dice.

"Draw the damn chakra, focus, fine-tune and then release at the point of contact –"

– **4HP!**

Still no dice.

"Draw –"

– **4HP!**

"The –"

– **4HP!**

"Chakra –"

– **4HP!**

Six hours later, and I had expected some sort of notification, or perhaps maybe, the Game system interfering and finally aiding me with what I was planning on doing, considering that I _did_ have perfect chakra control, I had assumed it would be much easier.

But no. No matter how much I tried, I could not imitate Tsunade's legendary super strength technique. All I got for it, was a heavily bruised fist. Seeing as how I did _not_ have either the Gamer's Mind or the Gamer's Body, I knew that the bruise and swelling would not heal till tomorrow.

"Heh – if only I had that damned Gamer's Body –"

If I had Gamer's Body, I'd simply learn to open the Eight Gates.

Unlimited Power + No potential for backlash or permanent critical injury.

This was probably another one of the reasons as to why I didn't have it – Gamer's Mind and Gamer's Body were complete and utter game-breaking abilities, but people never even realized it. Gamer's Mind would have granted me complete immunity to Genjutsu, or at the very least, made me extremely resistant to them. Gamer's Body would have ensured that I could simply pluck out my own eye and slam another orb into it without need for any surgical accuracy, and bam, instant transplant.

OP as hell.

"Wait… surgical accuracy?"

Maybe I had been looking at this wrong – Tsunade's Super Strength – maybe I didn't quite need that.

Instead, I focused back on my chakra, feeling and drawing from it, pouring it into my right hand, slowly steadily, until a wispy shape of dense chakra began to form, and my eyes immediately lit up.

 **From experimenting with your Chakra, a new skill has been created!**

 **Chakra Scalpels (Active) Lv. 1**

 **Scalpels of Chakra generally utilized by medical shinobi for complex surgical work on the human body, or on the tenketsu. These scalpels pass through skin external chakra layers with relative ease.**

 **Cost: 14CHK Per Scalpel**

The Scalpel in my hand was shoddy, weak, and I had a feeling that the blade was equally blunt, but still, it didn't matter. It was a formed shape, and, once I created it, it wouldn't dissipate until I willed it to do so. The Chakra cost was relatively minor, but a Chakra Scalpel was an incredibly dangerous tool, perhaps, even more dangerous than a super strength punch.

Now, imagine what I could do with these scalpels if I could _throw_ them. Or, _shoot_ them, since my throwing skills sucked.

Unfortunately for me, the only way I would be getting to that level with the scalpels was through constant practice and grinding the skill.

I grinned.

Looks like I knew what I was going to be doing for the next one month.

Amidst greeting my cult members of course. Can't have the sheeple forget about me now can I?

And of course there _was_ one place I needed to go.

"Kitami."

I ordered, finding the man standing guard a few paces behind me.

"Yes Shepherd-sama?"

I grinned.

"Gather the men and the ship… and plot a course… for Kirigakure no Sato."


	5. Waves and Water

**Finally got back to this. The original version! Yeah, DC - Remastered Edition seems to have overshadowed this fic in fans and all, but, I suppose, I'll always personally enjoy this story more. Any who - let's get back into it.**

* * *

"Where did we come from?"

A man, garbed in the requisite silken white garments of the Cult of Shepherd announced at the top of my voice, and from where I stood, cloaked and hidden, disguised as merely another peasant child amongst the congregation, I watched.

"Why are we here?"

Behind me, Kitami stood, his swords hidden out of sight, and gone were his elegant robes in favor of a simple farmer's outfit, accompanied with a straw hat and traditional geisha shoes.

"Who created us?"

The realization that it would be tremendously easy to pick the pockets of the crowd hit me, which caused my eyes to flicker around in case anyone tried to do it to me, though, I had the habit of storing everything I owned into my inventory, which, as I had discovered, had no limit to the nature, mass, or form of objects I could store – as long as it was not a conscious being or infrastructure.

"For what purpose do we walk this earth?"

Murmurs moved around the gathered crowd of smallfolk. Everything from questions, to scoffs, to hums of contemplation reached my ears.

"The answers, my brethren, are all provided by the Divine Shepherd!"

Two accompanying 'Vestals' of the Cult, that is, two young females, moved up to the man, standing by his side.

"Through the teachings of his one true messenger, The Divine's Chosen, Herder of the Lost, Sanctifier of the Unclean, Deliverer of Darkness, Master of the Force, Seeker of Truth and First High Enchanter – Gat-sama the Shepherd!"

It was hard to keep a neutral expression. Part of me idly wondered if I should have added 'Supreme Mugwump' to the list, or if that would have broken some people's suspension of disbelief.

"Gat-sama has communed with the Almighty! And through him, the Divine has delivered upon us a set of holy writings by which we are to live our lives!"

Ah, yes, the book which had eventually maxed out my **Falsification** skill. Writing my own version of the Bible in six months, and aligning it to certain Japanese-centric sensitivities was _not_ an easy task.

"The White Grimoire is the book of our salvation! It details the deeds of the Shepherd! The deeds of the divine! It tells us the through history of our world! It shows us, that the Divine overcomes death! That the Divine is the master of the Shinigami! That through the Divine – through the Shepherd – YOU SHALL HAVE ETERNAL LIFE!"

Of course, that always hooked them in. Humans, fickle as we were, despised and feared death more than anything in the world. They wanted eternal life, to live forever in paradise. They wanted it _desperately_. It was particularly 'super-effective' on such communities like the one I was in. They were poor, paying tribute and taxes to a Daimyo that they would never see, enriching a man that they would never meet. They were uneducated, they were starving, they were trampled upon by shinobi – used or abused according to whim and fancy of those with chakra.

They could die at a moment's notice, simply for turning their eyes in the wrong direction, or breathing too loudly.

It made sense, therefore, that they would need to seek some form of… solace, in their lives, and in their deaths.

"Beautiful Virgins await those who follow the Divine! Streets of gold and diamond! Mouthwatering food and sensations! Immutable pleasure and desire!"

I didn't even need to use my maxed out Observe skill to know that the people were trailing on to every word and every sentence.

"And to those, who turn against the Shepherd, who ignore the teachings of the White Grimoire, who scorn the blessings and supplications of the Divine –"

Ah, here was where it got good.

"INFIDELS! ALL OF THEM!"

The roar had definitely caught some people by surprise.

"An ocean of blackness awaits them! Eternal torture and suffering – not through pain, not through punishment – but merely through – _rejection_. For you have chosen to reject the Divine, and the Divine shall reject you! For eternity, you shall wander a never ending cavern of darkness! Your memory and lives erased from that of your loved ones! Your existence reduced to an erroneous a blot of ink on the pages of history! ALONE AND FORGOTTEN YOU SHALL BE TILL THE END OF TIME!"

I could sense it from all around me, particularly from the women, the primal emotion which had often caused men to do great or irrational things – _fear_.

The thing was, 'ideas' where rather hard things to kill. Once an idea had taken root, had formed and contemplated in the mind of someone, it didn't matter if the ideas where false, or misguided, they would remain – they would _stick_.

"And for those of you who dare question the validity of the Divine, the right of his prophet, then, I ask of you," the voice went chilled "How many of you here knows what will become of you, after you die? _How_ _many of you_? HOW MANY OF YOU?!"

And now, for the coup de grace –

A gentle push, and the man in front of me came staggering forward, all eyes pouring on him, before, shuddering and shaking and frightful as he was, confusion draped all over his face like bandages on a burn victim, he collapsed onto his knees and bowed.

"L-L-L-Lead us!"

And the floodgates were set loose.

Ignoring the rush of the crowd and their screams and begs of guidance, I turned my attention back to the man behind me.

"Our job here is done Kitami. On to the next village."

* * *

 **S ~ O ~ G**

* * *

The road to Kirigakure was definitely interesting.

I could have followed the major route, travelling in a nice, comfortable carriage with guards all around me, and riding until I eventually reached my destination, but I hadn't done that. Instead, I chose the scenic route.

"Shepherd-sama, every day, our numbers grow exponentially."

I nodded, and hummed, turning my attention to the small travelling band of twelve, composing of eight men and four women, which were amongst the higher 'Acolytes' in the Cult. I chose to travel with them instead, on foot, using the experience to not only familiarize myself with the land and the numerous villages scattered here and there across the Land of Water, but also to spread my cult's influence farther and wider.

As it stood, the Cult of the Shepherd was now the predominant majority 'religion' in the Land of Water, because there were very 'devout' members, who had gone off on their own imperative to spread the teachings of the White Grimoire and the Divine Shepherd. I planned on eventually spreading it further out of the Land of Water, but for now, I was suitably satisfied with this progress.

"Kitami."

"Yes Shepherd-sama?"

"How many days out are we from Kirigakure no Sato?"

"About two days Shepherd-sama."

I rubbed by chin slowly.

"How long have we been evangelizing?"

"Three weeks Shepherd-sama."

I hummed. Three weeks on the road so far – and soon enough, I would reach the place I intended. As it was, the Kirigakure no Sato civil war was just slightly entering its formative stages, and by formative, I meant that they had been fighting for roughly two and a half years now. The battle was, unsurprisingly, currently in favor of the Loyalists, and the Rebels were, as it stood, fighting on losing legs.

I saw it on the road, in the past three weeks. The people of the Mizu no Kuni, the Land of Water, absolutely _abhorred_ bloodline wielders. Their hatred was almost going into the levels of dedicated fanaticism, to the extents that civilians would take up arms and gather their pitchforks if they even got the slightest whiff of someone with a bloodline being present in their village. They hated the bloodline wielders for the sheer amounts of damage merely of them could do in a war, in comparison to the average shinobi – and of course, they also hated their powers in the same way the normal folks hated the X-Men.

Hence, when the puppet turtle declared his war to 'purge' the blood of the land, you could definitely guarantee that he had gotten massive amounts of support.

A small, sharp, nigh-invisible scalpel slipped into my hand unconsciously, and vanished. It did so again, and vanished again, and I kept a close watch on my chakra amount as I methodologically continued the practice.

So far, I've had dealings and handlings with the civilian populace, but I had yet to actually meet a shinobi. Now, if my plans for Kirigakure went as I expected, then it meant that I would have to be playing the big games with some of the most deadly people on the planet – and as such, the risks of death were significantly higher.

What did I have in my arsenal against this threat?

Maxed out Observe Skill.

Maxed out Falsification Skill.

Maxed out Arithmetic Skill.

Maxed out Bookkeeping Skill.

Maxed out Tree Walking Skill.

Maxed out Water Walking Skill.

Level 62 Physical Endurance.

Level 29 Chakra Scalpels.

100 Charisma.

An A– Ranked Samurai Bodyguard.

A devout cult.

Would this be enough to get me past the dangers lurking in the Bloody Mist?

 _Hell-fucking-no._

I was paranoid, and quite frankly, I had _every right to be_.

I already knew that I was going to be making major changes to the world, and I had thrown aside any silly ridiculous notion of maintaining the 'canon' timeline. Still, this meant that I could be blindsided by events I had no foreknowledge of, or events that I had no idea how to counter, and the mere thought of all my hard work being undone by some flimsy whim made my blood turn to boiling acid. My goal was to _conquer_ – everything, everyone – it was to eventually, through deception, force, coercion, or any other means available, make myself the God-Emperor of this world.

Delusional I may be, but I was _extremely paranoid_ , and as such, I had taken to becoming the 'Crazy-Prepared.'

My Inventory was filled with three hundred bricks.

And there were an additional number of random other items in there, ranging from needles, to stones, to pebbles, to hay, to bloody _grass_ and bags of sand. There was no conceivable limit as far as I had seen to what my Inventory could hold, and as such, I saw no need as to why I should not fill it up with everything possible under the sun.

My inventory was my literal "hammer-space" right now, simply for the sole reason of possessing items which I could use, somehow, someway, to baffle any would be attackers or assassins enough to make a hasty escape. Or, failing that, to ensure my further survival by providing them with the illusion that it was a special Bloodline Limit that they could eventually use if only they chose to abduct me and place me on a cold table to study.

And _even then –_

I felt incredibly, _incredibly_ underprepared.

To describe the sensation and possibility for chaos, as well as to properly sink in the realization of my actual vulnerability, I would compare myself to a happy, cheerful, oblivious character from The Sims, who had suddenly woken up to discover that Sweet Tooth and Pennywise were his new roommates.

Regardless of this absolute sensation of terror which often creeped under my skin, I knew that at least, I wasn't an idiot. I was prepared, and _expecting_ the possibility that everything would blow up in my face, which was, to my understanding, _far better_ than being a naïve fool who would believe that everything would go perfectly the way I expected it.

My experience with my dearest father had made me realize not to be that stupid anymore.

"Alright. Today – we enter the big leagues."

* * *

¬¬¬ **Son ¬¬ x ¬ Gato ¬¬¬**

* * *

Terumi Mei had never been quite so baffled.

"Are we _seriously_ entertaining this concept sensei?"

The 17-year-old Jonin stood, watching as her commanding officer, the de-facto leader of the Kirigakure Resistance, her sensei, a man possessing the familiar Lava Release bloodline, sat, his arms crossed, as he sighed, and rubbed his nose in irritation.

"For the last time _Terumi_ – Yes."

"You invited a _Cult –_ "

"It's a _religion._ Gatoism – or so it's being called."

She resisted the urge to say something that could undermine the man, yet, as it was, she couldn't help the irritation and frustration that was growing in her eyes.

"You invited a _religious organization_ ," she said, her voice clearly showing her displeasure, "here?"

"Yes."

Her eyes flickered over to one of her fellow Jonin, Ao, the man in question merely sighing.

"I believe what Terumi-san means is," he began "We cannot determine the veracity or allegiance of this… Gatoism. For all we know, they could be Yagura's spies or worse, agents sent with the intention of destroying us. I cannot see what merit we would gain from inviting their leader here."

The man in question, merely nodded. "Six months."

The two words, a statement of time, threw Mei for a slight loop.

"What?"

"I tracked down the first known mention of the religion, and of the cult – it was six months ago."

Her sensei leaned forward, a spark in his eyes.

"In six months, what had started off as a minor cult, is now the most popular religion in the entirety of the Land of Water. It's a religion that, if our informants are to be believed, is even being practiced by some in the _Diamyo's_ _Inner Court._ In less than half a year – this religion spread like wildfire, and within the next six to twelve months there is no doubt that it will become the _official_ religion of the entire Land of Water, backed by the Diamyo's decree himself."

Mei didn't want to believe it. It sounded like a weird joke, a one-sided, dull attempt at humor which fell flat to the intended audiences. She was not particularly a religious woman, nor did she even consider herself someone who could believe in some sort of higher power or deity – the concept was ludicrous.

Omnipotent beings cared about her?

Cared about the suffering of dozens? The illnesses of hundreds? The deaths of thousands?

It was unlikely. Not in the profession she found herself, and most certainly not in the entire world at large. The common folk were good and all to believe that, and she would, _could_ understand. However, how could anyone with a working brain in between their ears actually fall for such blatant lies?

"Hence, I would like to view this as a possible future investment. If – _if_ , this religion continues to spread, there is a chance that it may eventually change the perspectives of some of the Yagura Loyalists – or if not, perhaps it would convert more people to our cause if we were to subsume ourselves under the banner of religious protection."

So… _that_ was the angle they were playing at.

It might not have been the best, but it was a gambit worth taking… with the alternative being that the entire cult collapsed, and so did any hope of their rebellion against Yagura succeeding.

"Mei-sama, Jinshi-sama, Ao-sama."

In a blur, a Chunin appeared.

"The… Priest… he – wishes for an audience."

All three high-ranking members of the rebellion could not help but notice, how the Chunin seemed to be somewhat… unfocused.

"Is everything alright?" Mei asked.

Instantly, the Chunin shot up straight. Her face, it seemed, had turned a slight shade of red, before, immediately, her eyes seemed to light up.

"I had never believed myself a religious person, but… the Shepherd – his presence – I – I cannot explain it. It just… _compels me_ … it gives me… _hope_."

Three sets of eyes turned to each other, or more accurately, two and a half, with Ao present. An unspoken agreement came, and the man put his hand into a seal, immediately focusing on the Chunin, before he eventually shook his head in the negative.

 _Not Genjutsu._

 _No foreign influence._

"Send him in."

The Chunin nodded, vanishing once more.

Mei took her position behind Jinshi, as did Ao, the trio eventually waiting in silence. She was expecting everything from a snooty, pretentious and over the top young man with long robes and a faux charm, or perhaps, an aged, old and wizened man who spoke in riddles and parables, possessing the air and aura of a monk.

However, nothing, absolutely _nothing_ , could have prepared her for the sight of the young, handsome _boy_ who had promptly _swaggered_ into the makeshift Commander's tent.

With black hair which was smoothed and gelled into a short ponytail, and wearing long, white robes that almost seemed to possess an unearthly shimmer, he sauntered into the tent, curved staff in hand which clearly befitted his title of 'The Shepherd'.

Terumi had known, or at least, she understood that she was a normally attractive young woman, and her beauty had often caused her unwanted attention and affection. She knew, that beauty could be a weapon in one's arsenal, yet, she found herself staring at this young boy, whose face was a blend of effeminate yet manly, whose gait was reminiscent of Kings and of Kings of Kings, whose very presence and appearance _oozed_ confidence and appeal.

The room, if possible, had somehow become immensely lighter the second he entered. The flames and candles had flickered brighter than before, the air had become clearer and cleaner, and there was the sense of rejuvenation and _life_ that had immediately followed.

And then, the boy's eyes flickered over to her.

He _smiled_.

At that moment, Mei had questioned her sanity and her morals, wondering how it was possible for a child's smile to send her heart beating faster, faster than when she was out on the field, fighting for her life, faster than when she had evaded death and escaped mortal peril, faster and faster, like a crescendo reaching its full peak.

There was recognition in his eyes, he had somehow recognized her, even though she was certain that she had never seen him in her life. Yet, she could have sworn, that amidst that recognition, there was a stronger emotion, a stronger sensation, primal and unmistakeable –

 _Desire_.

She shuddered.

And she realized that there was a place waiting for her in the darkest recesses of the afterlife, for the part of her that in turn, _wanted_ the boy.

"A pleasure to meet you all," the boy's words came out smoothly, almost as though his voice was honey, and had taken to start pouring, lathering, and encompassing all of her –

 _Snapoutofit!_

She needed to focus – focus!

Her eyes flickered over to her sensei and her fellow Jonin officer, judging to see if she was the only one falling under whatever spell the boy had. Clearly, they were affected, as she could tell by the slight haze and disbelief that lay on their faces.

"Ah – of course. Believe me, the pleasure is all mine."

Jinshi had said, shaking his head slightly.

"Forgive me – we were not expecting the leader of this new religion to be…"

"Someone so young?" The boy had responded, a smile on his face. He then proceeded to shake his head, smiling. "I understand. I suppose it is quite unexpected – but the Divine – he works in numerous ways, and as he selected me as a chosen, who am I to do anything but accept?"

"Ah yes… your… Divine Shepherd… is it?"

The boy smiled once more. Why was his smile so disarming?

"The Divine speaks – he tells me that there are unbelievers amongst you – and you seem to doubt his words and motives."

"Apologies," Ao spoke up "But we Shinobi are generally a rather skeptical lot."

The boy nodded once more. "I understand. But, alas, I will let his works speak for themselves. In time, you will become believers as well."

He then clapped his hands.

"Ah! But that brings me to the second reason as to why I am here. To speak business."

Mei could not keep the surprise out of her face.

"Business?"

"Surely yes. You see, my followers are not always accepted, and even when they are, we live in such hard and harsh times – hence, with the guidance of the Divine, I do my best to ensure that they live prosperous lives here on earth before moving to the next life. To do that, of course, requires money."

Jinshi immediately frowned. "I'm sorry, but we are in the middle of fighting a _war_ , and cannot spare any expense –"

The boy laughed.

Immediately, it earned some of their ire.

"Is something funny?"

"Oh, no, it's just, you have me mistaken. I don't _need_ money from you. As a matter of fact, I would say it's the _opposite._ "

The candles flickered ominously.

"The Divine chose me, because I had the necessary resources to help spread his word and goodness. You may know me as the Shepherd, but I am also less commonly known as Gato Junior, heir to the Gato Shipping Conglomerate."

Jaws collectively dropped.

* * *

Did I ever mention how hot Terumi Mei looked in person?

Terumi Mei looked _smoking_ hot in person. She had always looked hot as an adult, before Kishimoto ruined her in 'Boruto' – another reason why I hated that series – but here, with her stunning red hair, and as a seventeen-year old teenager – she was _amazingly hot_.

But, business before pleasure and all that, so instead, I focused my intention on awing them with the fact and realization of my not-so-humble background and wealth. Their surprise was somewhat understandable, I guessed, because this was their equivalent of finding someone like Bill Gates or Mark Zuckerberg in a back-alley Church, preaching and telling people to repent.

Of course, now that they were still reeling in shock from the realization, I needed to play my hand.

"I am offering to fully fund your rebellion against the tyranny of Yagura, bringing his reign to an end, as well as getting a mandate from the Daimyo of the Land of Water which would cut off all funding to Yagura's army and declare them as enemies of the country, while putting you as the rightful party in charge of Kirigakure no Sato."

Effectively, I'd be ending the entire war and rebellion _long_ before it became a full bloody massacre spurned by one idiot's desire to get revenge for the death of the girl that friend-zoned him.

Of course, this would mean that Mei would end up _not_ becoming the Fifth Mizukage, but with the miniscule amount of screen time she had gotten in the show, I could not necessarily see how her being the Fifth Mizukage had made any significant difference in the overall 'plot'.

As expected, Mei's eyes were wide and ecstatic. Ao hid his surprise well, but I could tell it with a cursory Observe. The leader however –

"And in exchange…?"

I smiled. "In exchange, all I would require would be a selection of at least three shinobi from your forces, the adoption of the words of the Divine Shepherd becoming prominent in Kirigakure, establishment of exclusive trade treaties with Gato Shipping, and Class-A construction rights in the Village."

"Construction rights?"

"For temples and places of worship, as well as houses or other infrastructure which could aid the populace. I assure you, I have nothing but the best interest at heart."

Of course, it didn't have to be _your_ best interest, now did it?

I had started the entire Cult thing as some form of gag, and now, it ended up being one of the most important tools in my arsenal. If I did not run a 'religion' asking for the construction rights would be the immediate deal-breaker. However, with the guise of 'temples and places of worship' I had a justifiable, perhaps even _altruistic_ reason to gain them. The construction rights, once they were given, would grant me the freedom to build _anything_ I wanted in their village. If I wanted to create a tower to the moon shaped like large, obscene dildo, they had no choice but to swallow, keep their heads down, and get used to the phallic shadow permanently cast over their lives.

"I see. We will have to take some time to deliberate –"

"I'm afraid that such an option is not quite available. My offer expires with my departure from this room."

The temperature in the room rapidly declined.

I could _feel_ the slight burst of killing intent emerging from the commanding officer, and I allowed my lips to thin in displeasure, but showed no other sign of being affected.

 **New Skill Unlocked!**

 **Detect Danger!**

 **New Skill Unlocked!**

 **Killing Intent Emission!**

 _That_ clearly got his attention, as he had been expecting me to keel over from the burst. Rather than do that, I merely gave him a coy smile, and then, I channeled my **Charisma** on full blast.

"I am unfortunately a person who sees needless politicking as a waste of time and energy, and I can tell, that should I give you more time to deliberate, days will pass with you attempting to find some 'angle' or gleam some sort of other possible motivations I possess. Days, in which you spend lost in needless paranoia, and more and more innocent people die. No."

I slammed my staff into the ground.

"I will save both our time and energy by clearly telling you what I gain out of this. You see, my desire is the betterment of my fellow man. Wealth? I do not need or want wealth – I was, and am, born into more wealth than I will ever be capable of spending in one lifetime. Power? I could have merely followed in my father's footsteps and wield as much political power as the Daimyo. My goal, my endgame is simple."

I spread my arms.

"I want the people to know and love the Divine. I want them – to look up to their Lord, and to realize his infinite mercies – to know, to respect, to fear, and to love him. Above. Everything. Else."

And if _I_ , was that Lord –

It just made everything better.

"So, gentleman and lady, do we have an accord?"

As if there was ever any doubt.

* * *

 **Son of Gato**

* * *

She had been scared, originally. Scared for her life. Scared for the day that her husband would find out her secret. The day that pitchforks and knives would be gathered, the men who were wielding them snarling at her, hurling insults and threats, and the day that these weapons would ultimately bring about her end.

She kept the truth of her origins as a secret, and she had ensured, to the best of her ability, that no one would find out. She was living a double life, essentially, and she knew it. By hiding this aspect of her life from her husband, there would always be the nagging truth, the nagging suspicion, that her husband would not love her if he were to discover the truth.

She wanted to escape, to take her beloved child and leave this land, this land that would have her immediately killed without remorse if the truth of her secret were ever to be found out. However, she never truly knew where she would go – where she _could_ go – and if she did choose to run, she would be on the run forever – for the rest of her life.

But – something had changed.

A week ago, the travelling priests of the new religion Gatoism had visited her small village. She had, for the first time, listened to those words of comfort, and she had felt peace. She had felt, that there would be a place where she could go that she would not have to live in fear, but instead, be free to live in happiness. The Divine which the religion spoke of – he was kind, merciful, loving, all-embracing – yet, at the same time, he was strict against evil, vicious against injustice, and raged against discrimination.

There was a place she could go to – to become a Vestal, as they called the young women who dedicated themselves to the religion.

Alas, this had been but a mere fantasy, a wish, one that she did not have the willpower or the mind to carry out successfully. In that light, she had watched, as the travelling band had made their way towards Kirigakure, spreading their ministry. She had received a copy of the White Grimoire, and though she was illiterate, merely holding the book, gave her a form of comfort.

She regretted not leaving with the convent when she had the chance.

"Ka-chan! Look at what I can do!"

Her breath stilled. Of course, her child had inherited her gift. The atmosphere around them chilled, cooled, and the soft air coalescing into the flat mirror of water that was known as ice.

Her response had been reactionary.

One second, she was staring at her child, the next, her child was on the floor, holding the cheek, as her own hand was in the air.

"Don't – never – _ever_ do that again. _Please_."

She had hoped that it would be the end of it. She had hoped that it would have all ended there.

It hadn't.

Her husband had seen. Her husband knew.

Then, her nightmares metamorphosed into reality. The pitchforks. The comments. The snarls. The spears. Leading them on, was the man who had shared her bed, the man who she had bared her all to in a naked embrace, the man who's seed had filled her and grown into a lovely little girl that they could call their own –

He was the one now standing over her, pitchfork pierced through her stomach.

"Die witch!"

She had been scared. Even then, in her final moments, as she looked into the eyes of the man that she had foolishly chosen to love. She had been scared, wondering, what would become of her daughter – her lovely, wonderful, daughter –

" **The lord is not pleased.** "

Then, she was scared no more.

Some people did not believe in religion. Others, did not believe in a divine deity of one form or another. She, however, could not consider herself in that category. Nothing, absolutely nothing, save from the backing of a being beyond all comprehension could justify the utterly calming and soothing aura that had overcome her, that had caressed her, like a passionate lover roaming her essence, filling her and whispering comforting sweet nothings to her ear.

Yet, at the same time, her assailants were anything but soothed. All of them had frozen, the expressions of terror completely plastered on their faces. Yet, the voice, the source of their apparent terror, their greatest fear –

Lay in the presence of a young boy in white robes and wielding a crooked staff.

 _The Shepherd._

"The lord is not pleased."

He repeated the words, and merely shook his head. There was more grace and elegance in his form than she had seen of kings, and the manner in which he showed his displeasure, it was almost saintly, almost utterly divine – as though he was a being who stood and watched from a higher realm.

"You all have displeased the lord. He demands your penance. **He demands your atonement**."

It was almost like a physical wave, and aura emanating from his form, and had she not been there to witness it, she would not have believed it, she would not have believed that the people so viciously attacking her, out to kill her, would fall to the ground, crying, sobbing messes, and then taking their own weapons, their own blades and then –

"Shhh… do not worry. Cast aside your gaze – for the Divine renders his judgment, and he offers you – your salvation."

She wondered, how a boy, nay, a child, so young, could speak to her, and how she would listen without a second thought. Yet, she did as commanded, as instructed, even as she coughed up a small measure of blood, even as the lights began to fade.

"Do not worry," A warm, bright, comforting hand rested itself on her shoulder. "The Divine has granted me a vision of this event. Your suffering has come to an end – and now – you are on to salvation."

She smiled, a small, tiny, smile of solace. "M-m-my d-d-daughter –"

"Yes, Haku, was it?"

Her eyes widened, with the little strength she had.

The Shepherd merely smiled. "The Divine has great plans for her – she will grow to become strong. To become someone great. She will be a vessel unto paradise, and in time – you shall be reunited."

Slowly, she closed her eyes.

"T-thank you."

"No. Thank _you_." The Shepherd said, "For you are the mother of she that will become a saint."

* * *

I sighed as I stared at the dead form of Haku's mother. Unfortunate as it was, she needed to die in order for Haku to become the person I needed her to become. I turned my gaze to the side, the mini-map indicating that Haku had been inside the house, and she had heard and _witnessed_ everything.

I had intervened and changed the timeline again. Originally, Haku's mother would have died, and then they'd try to kill her as well, which would lead to her unleashing her bloodline in full force and slaughtering all of them, becoming the broken child whose only purpose in life changed to becoming a tool for someone else's use.

There was a significant difference now.

Rather than having to defend herself, she had watched, as ultimately, I had given her mother peace, whilst at the same time, utterly destroying her mother's murderers. I had done this with my **Charisma** on full blast – **Charisma** which, when used with a maxed out **Falsification** skill, and the new **Killing Intent Emission** skill I had attained, could compel full grown men to kill themselves.

When used on a small, naïve, three year old girl?

I had to use **Tree Walking** to stop myself from barreling over when Haku barreled into me, sobbing and crying.

I merely ran my hands down her hair in as comforting a manner as I could, still emitting the full force of my **Charisma**.

"Shuussh, don't worry now child, your mother… she's in a better place. It'll all be better."

Especially after she was molded, shaped, and transformed into the perfect tool I knew she could be.

"It'll all be better."

I crushed the urge to let out a deviant smile, and instead, settled for a 'consoling' one, as I mentally ticked off my checklist. As it stood, there was only one thing left to do in the Land of Water.

Or, more accurately, one _person_ to find.


	6. Serpent's Luck

**Yep. This will be the Last Chapter in good ol' Land of Water - from next chapter - the (mis)adventure begins! Oh, and...**

 **It. Gets. Darker.**

 **MUAHAHAHAHA!**

* * *

It was night time. The night silence and cool breeze was one of the few things I enjoyed in the Land of Water. Of course, it wasn't snowing yet. I wondered why that was. The land was often cold enough to feel as though the temperature was below zero, despite this, I hadn't seen a single snowflake drop.

"Mhmm… Gat-sama."

I turned my head to the form of the small girl sleeping beside me. It was somewhat annoying, but Haku would not leave my side no matter what. Well, I supposed that this was what I _wanted_ , after all, as I possessed her utmost and complete loyalty, but I had not expected her to be so clingy. I let out a low growl as she once more wrapped her arms around me and entwined her legs with mine. It took me some effort to get untangled from her, because, despite being in a near-five year old body, I had no form of sexual interest whatsoever in a four year old girl. Actually, I had no intent of forming any sort of relationship with her – ever. Despite this being nakama-land, and the world where relying on the power of friendship could supposedly give you superpowers, I stood by my stance of abstaining from all that drivel.

Relationships were tools – weapons in an arsenal. Friends were useful allies in accomplishing your goals, and most of them were burdened by a sense of honor or gratitude and would feel indebted to you after aiding them. Of course, friends were such fickle, envious little things, most of which would prefer to see themselves at the top than sit back in the dust and watch you ascend to the skies. Friendship was merely a sugar-coated word to mean 'one-whom-is-burdened'.

I rose from the somewhat comfortable matrass which I utilized as my camping bag, watching with a roll of my eyes as Haku's face squirmed at the lack of the cuddly companion she was using as a pillow.

I paid no heed to her discomfort, and instead, I stepped out of my tent, my eyes sweeping around the camp rapidly to confirm that many of the Vestals, Vicars and Priests were all asleep. Outside of my tent, unsurprisingly, Kitami was awake, standing guard.

"Anything?"

"No. All silent Gat-sama."

I nodded.

"I'm going out for a brief walk."

He moved.

"Alone."

There was a quirk of his eyebrow, but at this point, he knew better than to argue.

The brief walk was intended for me to clear my mind so to speak, as well as for me to get in some more training with the **Chakra Scalpels**. Still, the forests of the Land of Water was not the most ideal places to go for a walk, but, I would take the little snippets of freedom when and where I could.

At this point, we were only about a day's journey out from my final destination in the Land of Water, before I'd return to Waterlily Port Town and then make my way out of this country. I knew, of course, that once I left the Land of Water, the amount of danger I would face would practically quintuple, but, considering that this was still what I dubbed, "Year One" of the Naruto-verse, the danger I would face would not quite be as extensive.

Still, I did need a method to ensure that I could evade assassination attempts and other unsightly events should the need ever arise. I needed a foolproof escape strategy that could be used and would work anywhere, anytime. It was why, after I had ensured that I was a fair distance away from the camp, I took a deep breath and began to draw upon my chakra.

" **Create Instant Dungeon**."

I waited. And I waited. And I waited. And –

 **Skill Level Insufficient.**

 **Chakra Level Insufficient.**

 **Player Level Insufficient.**

Of course. At this point, I'd have been more surprised if it had worked than it if hadn't. The ability to create your own pocket dimension was a game-breaking one – as I could become a pseudo-Obito by merely using my Instant Dungeons the way he used his Kamui. Again, more and more reasons continue to pop up to my mind as to how merely being the Gamer is extremely overpowered, even without grinding like anthropomorphic war bunnies.

 **Required Skill: Space-Time Ninjutsu**

 **Required Skill Level: 50**

 **Required Chakra Level: S-Rank**

 **Required Player Level: 70**

So, Instant Dungeons were out of my league for the main time. That was just wonderful. Still, I merely shrugged, extending my hand and feeling for my Chakra as the familiar energy shaped a Scalpel. I would merely have to conjure up a different method of escaping possible assassinations. Perhaps, this would lead me to being far more innovative?

 **Congratulations!**

I blinked. What?

 **You have successfully unlocked the** **Miracle System!**

The what?

 **Miracle System**

 **Faith is a rather interesting thing. If a thousand men were to believe in a severed cow's udder for long enough, that udder would somehow start creating milk. Likewise, when you have convinced a large amount of the populace to believe in one thing or the other, you would be surprised when that belief ends up being true!**

 _What?_

 **With the Miracle System, you have been attributed Miracle Points, which is the crystalized and numerical form of the condensed and coalesced collective belief of a group of humans. Miracle Points, are, exactly what they say they are. They can be used to perform a single Miracle in accordance to what the people** _ **believe**_ **you can do – regardless of how illogical or seemingly impossible. Essentially, Miracle Points are a 'Get-Out-Of-Jail-Free' card for reality, space and time. They can both be stored and stacked, or, they can be exchanged for incredible perks, hidden bloodlines, massive EXP, or massive stat boosts. How you wish to use them is up to your liberty.**

 **For attaining 10,000 Devotees in your Religion you have been awarded 1 Miracle Point (MP).**

Cue heavy breathing.

"Make me the God-Emperor of the World!"

 **Error!**

 **Insufficient Miracle Points.**

 **Miracle Points Required: 1,000,000,000.**

Of course it could never be that easy. A billion Miracle Points to accomplish that? It was a pipe dream.

I had only one point, which stood to reason that certain tasks or grand feats would be out of my reach. Still, to test it out –

"Grant me the Rinnegan."

 **Error!**

 **Insufficient Miracle Points.**

 **Miracle Points Required: 1,000,000**

A million MP. That was _significantly_ lower, but still out of my reach for the mean while.

"The Sharingan."

 **Error!**

 **Insufficient Miracle Points.**

 **Miracle Points Required: 19,000,000**

Nineteen million? How was the Sharingan worth more than the Rinnegan? Other than its incredible versatility, I would have picked the Rinnegan over the Sharingan in a heartbeat. Still, I was able to estimate and judge the relative worth of the Miracle Points system. Though its prices were downright outrageous, I could see some benefit to it.

"The Byakugan."

 **Error!**

 **Insufficient Miracle Points.**

 **Miracle Points Required: 1000**

A thousand points for the Byakugan? Really? That was kind of insulting to the Hyuga clan. However, I had gotten into significantly lower price ranges, and effectively, this meant that I knew the value of what was worth what. If I could get Kekkai Genkai – did that also mean that I could purchase…

"Grant me Gamer's Body."

 **Error!**

 **Insufficient Miracle Points.**

 **Miracle Points Required: 50**

So I _could_ end up getting Gamer's Body – and it was at such an affordably reasonable price – just fifty – just fifty – but I had only one. So, how exactly do I up my ante and get fifty MP?

 **Miracle Points are attained on completing certain milestones for religious sections.**

 **10,000 Devotees = 1 MP**

 **100,000 Devotees = 10 MP**

 **1,000,000 Devotees = 100 MP**

 **Alternatively, gaining Devout or Fanatical Members grants extra Miracle Point Gain.**

 **10,000 Devout Members = 100 MP**

 **100,000 Devout Members = 1000 MP**

 **100 Fanatics = 1000 MP**

 **1000 Fanatics = 10,000 MP**

 **10,000 Fanatics = 100,000 MP**

Rapidly crunching the numbers in my head with my **Arithmetic Skill** told me that a hundred fanatics granted me more Miracle Points than a million devotees, and granted me the same amount as a hundred thousand devout members. So, all I needed was to get more and more people to become fanatical about my religion, completely and absolutely fanatical enough – so I could gain enough Miracle Points to make a significant difference.

I sighed. Of course, this would take a lot of work, and turning people into absolute fanatics would require the right sort – but, it could be doable. Once I had a bit of free time on my hands, I would work towards attaining a hundred fanatics.

The real question now, was what exactly could I use a single measly Miracle point to do?

Wait, hadn't it said I could trade in Miracle Points for EXP or massive stat boosts?

 **1 MP = 100 Stat Points to any Selected Stat [One-Time Purchase]**

 **1 MP = 10,000 EXP [One-Time Purchase]**

 **1 MP = One Randomized Perk [One-Time Purchase]**

I froze. A hundred stat points? A hundred stat points?!

A hundred Stat points would immediately boost _any_ stat to A Rank, and this was if you had absolutely zero in the stat. If you had something like 20, it'd boost you A+ Rank or S– Rank. Essentially, a rookie academy student could become an Elite Jonin in one aspect – just like that.

" **Stats**."

 **Name: Gato Junior**

 **HP: 150/150**

 **CHK: 41/41**

 **Level: 2**

 **Age: 4**

 **Rank: Civilian**

 **Title: Little Cutthroat**

 **EXP: 2921/3000**

 **Money: Approx. 55,000,000,000 Ryo**

 **SPECIAL**

 **Strength: 4 [E– Rank]**

 **Perseverance: 25 [D Rank]**

 **Endurance: 37 [C Rank]**

 **Charisma: 81 (+20) [A Rank]**

 **Intelligence: 19 (+20) [C Rank]**

 **Agility: 4 [E– Rank]**

 **Luck: 0 [F Rank]**

What aspect would I go for? Strength? I would immediately become A-Rank in that aspect – or maybe perseverance – for amazing stamina and an immunity to most poisons and sicknesses? Or should I go with Endurance – solidifying my sturdiness. Or, I could even add it to Charisma, turning my already supernatural Charisma into something godlike. Or perhaps intelligence? The ability to recall and learn new information like an elite Jonin would be incredibly useful. Or perhaps, Agility – so I could always get away with a speed and possess reflexes that no one would ever expect someone my age to possess.

All of these, sans Charisma, were good – or rather, they'd be good if I planned to ever enter direct combat.

But no, I was not a fighter. Instead, I was a religious leader and a business man. Two things which, above all, required not only extreme wit – but also, _tremendous_ , luck.

 **Would you like to confirm this purchase?**

 **Yes**

 **No**

I didn't hesitate.

 **Purchase of 100 Points in Luck for 1 Miracle Point confirmed.**

 **You have (0) Miracle Points remaining.**

Some people would call me crazy. Others, would say that I was a madman or fool. After all, so far, I was still alive and had accomplished much with my Zero Luck hadn't I? And now, I had used my one-time purchase of a 100 Stats on luck – the seemingly most useless of all stats.

Or was it?

I was aware that in some games, luck determined your drop rates, critical hit rates, and even enemy encounter rates. In real life however, the question was –

What would luck do?

What does having A-Rank, 100 Luck mean for me?

" **Needles**."

I summoned up a handful of sharp, thin, sewing needles which I had kept in my Inventory. Then, I took a deep breath, closing my eyes, before I tossed them all into the air. I heard the sound of something falling to the ground beside me, and I opened my eyes in confusion. There, on the ground, was a snake, one which I had not seen or sensed, which was bleeding from its eyes, punctured with needles, and had a set that had somehow pierced the bottom of its mouth, straight to the roof of it.

I… was pleasantly surprised.

I had been intending to toss the needles into the air, and see if they would all miss me by a wide margin to prove my luck was good – and instead, I'd killed what looked like a venomous snake by pure happenstance.

Luck – I supposed, was somewhat random. It was Causality Manipulation on an infinitesimally undetectable scale – and now, it was merely another tool in my arsenal. I killed the snake with a quick use of the **Chakra Scalpel** , before accepting the loot such as the snake venom, the meat and the skin. With that deed, I felt suitably satisfied for the evening, and I proceeded to make my way back to the camp. I had to get my rest for tomorrow, considering just who or _what_ I'd be facing.

Idly, I wondered if there was anything else that Luck could do, if there was any feature possessed by the seemingly most useless of all stats.

I supposed I'd find out in time.

* * *

Son of Gato

* * *

The morning had come as it always did, with no much difference that I could perceive, and other than carrying out the ritualistic process of 'blessing' and 'sanctifying' the priests and other members of our travelling evangelical group, everything was working fine and operational. Although, a part of me couldn't wait to grow older so I could eventually get to use the other means of 'sanctifying' and 'blessing' with the women.

Ah, the measures of the flesh.

"Gat-sama, there is only one more week before January."

I turned to Kitami, waving. "I know, I know. Don't worry Kitami, I'll meet my father's deadline."

Then, adopting my usual messianic demeanor, I turned towards the majority of those gathered at the camp.

"Today, my brethren – we head towards the south."

There was silence.

"The South?"

"Isn't that were most of the battles are being fought?"

"That's heading towards the core Kirikagure – the land ruled by Yagura –"

"Are there any of you," I interrupted, flaring my **Charisma** "Who would wish not to go? Should that be the case, then fear not, you may disperse amongst yourselves and continue in the ways of the Divine. I, however, shall move forward. I need not reach the heart of the conflict, but at the outskirts, the edges – there is much that can be accomplished."

And like that, their uncertainty was replaced with a stern determination.

They weren't fanatical, not all of them, not yet – as fanaticism was a something hard to attain among followers, but, I could tell that they were close. We travelled for a couple of hours, and I would perform 'miracles' every so often by bringing out one of the stored bread or warm pot of soups in my inventory, which would further increase their faith, and reduce their thoughts about how the road seemed to get quieter the further we moved. We spotted numerous other travelling caravans and merchants, people to whom I could rapidly convert by exuding my **Charisma** upon them, but, we didn't meet a single shinobi.

It was only after nearly half a day of walking, with Haku still at my side, that we stopped, everyone stopping, as we stared into the sky.

"Snow."

I heard her say.

I nodded as well, my eyes narrowing as the areas in front of us were perhaps, the only places in the Land of Water that had snowfall. Was this some sort of coincidence? Was it something else? My eyes turned towards Kitami, and I noticed, that he too, seemed to be on edge, for one reason or another.

The change in scenery was beautiful, and had I been a person to enjoy aesthetic beauty a little more, I would have been enamored by the white-caked trees and overwhelming splendor of the snow that made the horizon into a sheet of paper. Instead, I couldn't help but feel something else, but feel a little bit uneasy, as there was complete and utter silence on the road. There were no travelers, no merchants, and I could not even spot any birds.

 **Detect Danger has gone up by 1!**

 **Detect Danger has gone up by 1!**

 **Detect Danger has gone up by 1!**

 **Detect Danger has gone up by 1!**

 **Detect Danger has gone up by 1!**

 **Detect Danger has gone up by 1!**

 **Detect Danger has gone up by 1!**

 **Detect Danger has gone up by 1!**

 **Detect Danger has gone up by 1!**

 **Detect Danger has gone up by 1!**

 **Detect Danger has gone up by 1!**

 **Detect Danger has gone up by 1!**

 _Shit._

The wall of text that came up was second only to the ominous, _destructive_ presence that had completely filled up the air. I couldn't breathe, and belatedly, my mind realized that this was pure, unbridled, _Killing Intent._ Yet – this wasn't even being _directed_ at me _._ It was just the _residue_. Despite this, I nearly found myself collapsing to the ground, being forced to hold on to my curved staff the best I could.

Yet, despite how badly _I_ , was affected, it wasn't anything compared to my followers – all of them, had keeled over, fallen into the snow, unconscious. Haku beside me, was shaking like mad, her hands grasped forcefully at her chest. Kitami – my _elite bodyguard_ , was wiping sweat off his brow.

"Shepherd-sama – we need to leave. We need to leave, _now_."

Slowly, I allowed myself to nod. "Let's g-g-go –"

"Kukukuku, so, _this_ is the leader of the cult I've been hearing so much about."

 _ **Fuck.**_

There was only one person I could think of in this world who had that laughter; who had that slimy voice, that method and manner of speaking. There was only one person, whose very presence often spelt dread and complete annihilation.

And of course, that person, with his jelled black hair, sharp yellow eyes, and haunting pale-skin, was currently in front of me.

 **Snake Sannin**

 **Konoha's Most Wanted**

 **S-Class Missing-Nin**

 **Orochimaru**

 **Lv. ?**

"Shepherd-sama!"

Kitami, the upstanding man that he is, lunged forth at death with his two swords extended.

And Death, being Death, merely extended a single hand, and he caught the two blades between his index and middle fingers.

"Kukuku – What do we have here? A Ronin from Tetsu no Kuni? You're quite far from home now aren't you?"

I had no delusions in my mind about Kitami being capable of going toe-to-toe with Orochimaru. Likewise, I had no delusions about blasting Orochimaru with my Charisma and expecting it to work, without him either shrugging it off, or deciding to capture and experiment on me to find out if it was a Kekkai Genkai.

Nearly every single situation I could conjure in a fight with Orochimaru ended up with him deciding, in one way or another, to abduct me and experiment on me for a Kekkai Genkai. Fighting him was out of the question. Trying to outsmart him was equally out of the question. Even if I had invested those 100 points in Agility instead of Luck, there was no way I would have been capable of outrunning or escaping from him. He was firmly _S-Rank_ for a reason.

 _So what do I do?_

 _WHAT DO I DO?_

 _WHAT DO –_

I stopped.

Everything.

The two men immediately turned their gazes on me as they noticed how I has seemingly stopped moving, and stopped breathing, my entire form going perfectly still.

And then, _I relaxed_.

"Kitami – stand down. We are in the presence of a guest, not an enemy."

If there was a god, he was most definitely doing a spit-take.

Kitami looked at me like as though I was insane, and likewise, Orochimaru turned to me, a curious gleam in his eye.

"But, Shepherd-sama –"

" _Stand down_ Kitami. This is a direct order. At best you will be a mild annoyance to our guest, and at worst, a smudge of dirt to wipe off from the earth. Challenging him will lead to your demise, which, I feel, would be a tremendous loss, as you are not easy to replace."

 _What the fuck am I doing?_

I wasn't even sure of myself, but, I could feel it. The **Charisma**.

For the longest time, I had assumed that **Charisma** only outwardly affected others, making them believe and do what I wished them to, but, it seemed, that it also affected _me_. It made me _think_ , clearly, calmly. It made me realize what to say and what _never_ to say. To properly analyse and make snap decisions of a social interaction and formulate the fastest, best response. To keep my calm, my cool and my level head.

It granted me Prodigious Emotional Intelligence – an EQ level humans were not meant to possess. I could empathize and rationalize, and _understand_ people on a intrinsic level like as though I was searching through their souls, and living their own lives.

The question was, why hadn't this activated before now?

The answer: _**Luck.**_

Of course.

"Kukukuku – oh, you seem to know who I am, young one."

I nodded, slowly. "Forgive my previous countenance. Unfortunately it seemed that I may have been slightly rattled by your presence, that I forgot my manners. My name, is Gat. I am the Shepherd. A servant of the Divine – here on earth to lead people towards a higher existence."

Kitami stood back, leaping to my side in a defensive manner, whilst I merely bowed.

"You are Orochimaru of the Sannin. The Divine speaks highly of you."

He looked amused, the creepy man. "And what exactly, does your god say of me?"

"He says, that you will be a catalyst of great change. You will generate a legend – a legacy."

"Oh?" Orochimaru's nose turned upwards "Is that all?"

The problem was of course, that I could not merely butter him up. He would see through all attempts to soothe him through his ego, and he was not the type of person who was vain enough to fall for it. Hence, there had to be a balance, something that would genuinely catch his interest.

"The Divine also says that I should give you a warning."

The manner in which his eyes snapped in my direction was almost enough to make me lose my nerve.

"And what would that be?"

"Beware of weasels and crows."

 **Charisma Check: 101/100!**

 **Check Passed!**

He stared at me, his eyes sharp, sharper now, more dangerous. Incredibly more dangerous. There was no more mirth or amusement in them. Instead, only cold rationalization. I was glad that Haku had fallen unconscious as well – because I did not want Orochimaru's eyes to fall on her, and instead, he was focused, purely on me.

"You assume that I have some other source of knowledge, and somehow, you refuse to accept the fact that the Divine is real, and that he speaks to me. Tell me, Snake Sannin, do you not believe in the existence of gods?"

"No." he said sharply. "I do not."

I chuckled.

"What is it that you find so amusing?"

I shook my head. "The Divine says, that he knows of another being that did not believe in gods. Only to find itself at the offending end of one's blade."

"And who, perchance, was this being?"

"Not who," I said. "What."

Orochimaru's brows narrowed. "I do not have time for cryptic nonsense."

"It was a fox."

 **Charisma Check: 101/100!**

 **Check Passed!**

"A fox, which met itself at odd ends with a god's blade. Perhaps, you may also be acquainted with this fox?"

He didn't say anything, but, of course, he _knew_. He _knew_ of the Shinigami – the Death Reaper Seal. The problem was, there was no way _I_ should know of it. The only explanation, was of course, either foreknowledge, which I would have no way of possessing – or 'divine' forces.

"Ah, forgive my horrible manners. I have been quite the discourteous guest. As it is, I should have set up a table for us to drink tea. Sipping a cup of jasmine tea whilst having a conversation makes it far better, would you not agree?"

The amusement had returned to his eyes, a great deal of amusement, although, I could still sense the sharp calculation going on behind it.

"Kukukuku… and you are not afraid in the slightest?"

I did my best impression of confusion. "Afraid?"

"I just so happen to be an S-Rank nuke-nin, after all. Most would be… _wary_ of inviting me for a chat over a cup of tea."

I shook my head. "Then most would not understand what they are missing."

"Oh?"

"Of what reason do I have to be afraid? Of you killing me should I invite you to tea?" I sighed, "If you kill me, then, you kill me. I die, and unfortunate happenstance, but one which is inevitable – as it is the fate of all in this world to meet, sooner or later."

For the first time in our conversation, I walked forward, ignoring Kitami's exasperated stare.

"But if you do not kill me, then, I would have had the pleasant opportunity of having a unique conversation with an even more-unique person. I will learn things that I never thought about before, see perspectives I had not imagined or envisioned. I will become better off from the experience. Whereas, if I had been afraid – if I had merely ran or begged – I would have died regardless. So, what then, would be the point of fear?"

 **Charisma Check: 101/90!**

 **Check Passed!**

Orochimaru was grinning at me. It was an expression on his face that I never imagined existed, or could possibly exist. Orochimaru – grinning. It sounded like an oxymoron.

"Kukukuku – such wisdom from one so young."

"You flatter me, Snake Sannin. What most people assume is Wisdom, I perceive is mere common sense. Something, I feel, the world sorely lacks."

There were sounds of groans and stirs, which made Orochimaru, Kitami and I, realize that the rest of my followers were slowly rousing from unconsciousness.

"You are not what I assumed you to be, Priest."

"And likewise, you are surprisingly amicable company, Snake Sannin."

His eyes widened, and I wondered if I went overboard with that.

I immediately took a long bow. "It has been quite the pleasure meeting you, Snake Sannin. I hope to hear of great exploits of your deeds, and, as the Divine wills it, should we meet again, I would very much hope, to brew you a cup of tea."

I didn't bother looking up as I bowed. I kept my head down, respectfully, and waited. He could have either run his blade through me at that moment, or cut of my head, or picked me up and forced me away with him, but none of those things were likely to be a possibility.

Instead, there was a strong gust of breeze, and the ever-pleasant, sound of silence.

And just like that, I collapsed to the ground, releasing the breath I did not know I was holding.

 _ **Special Event Completed!**_

 **Snake in the Shepherd's Shadow**

 **Reputation with Orochimaru Increased!**

 **Reputation with the Hidden Mist Increased!**

 **Reputation with the Mizu no Kuni Increased!**

 **Title Unlocked – Snake Charmer!**

 **Achievement Unlocked – Forked Tongue**

 **Possible Mission Unlocked: Tea with the Devil**

 **Possible Alliance Unlocked: The Land of Tea**

 **Possible Ally Unlocked: Orochimaru**

 **Gained 20 Charisma Points!**

 **Gained 10 Intelligence Points!**

 **Fame Increased!**

 **Infamy Increased!**

 **You have gained 2500EXP!**

 **You have leveled up!**

 **Level 2 Level 3!**

 **You have (7) undistributed stat points.**

At this point, I couldn't even care about the extra twenty points that made me finally have S Rank Charisma. Nor did I care about the stat points. I just wanted to get some god-damned _sleep_.

* * *

Son of Gato

* * *

It was much later that evening, when our travelling group had settled down, that I realized something was off. I kept getting strange looks from the men and even weirder glances from the women. Kitami himself seemed to be oddly subdued, even more so than normal. Still, I pushed aside the oddities, and retired to my tent for the night, with a lot of things on my mind.

The first, and most prominent, was the need to correct an immediate error.

Just because I did not _want_ to conquer this world with my fists and blood, didn't mean I shouldn't know _how_ to do so should the situation demand it. Meeting Orochimaru had been a major eye-opener, particularly because of the fact that had I met an even more unscrumptulous shinobi, or worse, someone who could not be reasoned with, there was every possibility that I would be dead.

I needed to have a guaranteed, foolproof way to escape or at least, eliminate such high-quality threats. I _did_ have one planned, but it was more of in the long term, and I needed something which could work in the short term for the meanwhile.

The **Chakra Scalpels** were coming along well, but it was slightly too slow for my liking. I needed other techniques and means of defense. The problem was, of course, my weak civilian body and Chakra – which of course, meant that the only possible avenue I could follow, for now, would have to be Genjutsu.

I sighed as I laid back on my matrass. I hadn't found who I was looking for yet, but, I assumed I would get there and find him soon. The person, or rather, the reason I assumed Orochimaru was also in Mizu no Kuni.

"Shepherd-sama."

I rose as I heard Kitami's voice from the outside of the tent.

"Yes?"

"The girl wishes to speak with you."

I rose an eyebrow. "Send her in."

That was odd, why would Haku go to the trouble of making a formal request to see me?

She entered into the tent, her black hair washed and neatly kept, and having been giving some plain white robes, she seemed to want to say something, walking forward, hands shaking, posture uncertain.

With a sigh, I unleashed my **Charisma**. "What is it, child? You may tell me whatever it is you want."

It was the first time I had unleashed my Charisma on anyone or anything since it had been boosted to S-Rank. I honestly wasn't expecting much of a reaction, which was why it took me by complete surprise when Haku gasped, and then dropped to her knees, bowing in front of me.

Don't tell me she was –

I cut off the Charisma immediately, feeling more of irritation than disgust at the realization that I had aroused a four year old girl. Though, I was _technically_ four as well, it didn't exactly remove the feeling of 'squick' I felt. Apparently, S-Rank **Charisma** was _incredibly_ more potent that I had thought. The gap between A-Rank and S-Rank was ludicrous.

"S-Shepherd-sama – I – I – am not worthy!"

I rose an eyebrow at the declaration.

"You s-saved me, Shepherd-sama – you've treated me with so much kindness and mercy, you've made me part of your family – and I – I haven't done anything worthy of you." She immediately rose her head up "Please, Shepherd-sama – let me be used by you! I – want to dedicate my entire life you – I want to find a way to be worthy of you!"

I had to stop myself from smirking outright. It seemed the 'I-am-a-tool' mentality Haku possessed still showed up despite my interference. Except, she was _my_ tool now. Not in the sexual way – at least, not for another nine or ten years – but in every other way that mattered – she was _mine_.

As I had come to realize, in this world, children matured faster than they did normally and elsewhere. 'Child Soldiers' as a term did not exist. The likes of Kakashi and Itachi, despite their ludicrously young ages, possessed immense maturity and capabilities that would have been sorely lacking in someone of that same age bracket from my own world. Six year olds in this world were capable of killing full grown men with ne'er a grimace on their faces, and at the age of twelve – you were an adult.

During the Warring Clan Era, people much younger than twelve were sent out to warfare, and then, the question was the issue of how a future generation would exist if they were all slaughtered in battle. The only explanation, was an early rate of marriage – as soon as a girl was considered ripe for childbearing, which was often from the age of thirteen to fourteen, she was married off, and would immediately be expected to bare more children – more fighters and warriors. The earlier she did so, the more children she would be able to bare. If this was not the case, then the shinobi race would have long since died out. Idly, I wondered if Kishimoto even realized the implications of creating a world with child soldiers, or if he just wrote it because it was Shounen.

"S-Shepherd-sama?"

I turned my attention back to Haku, and then I nodded slowly.

"Very well child, are you certain that this is what you desire?" I said slowly, "To dedicate your life to me, to the Divine, it will be a harsh experience. I will push you to extreme limits, I will test you in mind, body and soul, I _will_ break you, peel apart everything that you are now, and make something more – something _stronger_. You may not survive the experience – and if you do, you will never be the same. Are you sure this is what you want?"

With a strong, willed look that should have been out of place on a child, she nodded.

"Yes, Shepherd-sama."

I smirked.

"Very well."

 **Companion Quest Unlocked!**

 **Brewing Snowstorms and Molding Ice**

 **Haku has devoted her entire life and existence to you, to be used as you please. With her Hyoton Bloodline, now under your expert guidance, and your incredible compound knowledge of applications and shinobi essentials, the potentials are limitless.**

 **Objectives:**

 **Mold Haku to your preferences**

 **Help Haku attain Mastery of Hyoton Bloodline**

 **Make Haku become an S-Rank Kunoichi**

 **Rewards**

 **Unbreakable Loyalty**

 **1,500,000 EXP**

 **+150 Agility**

 **Hyoton Bloodline**

 **(Hidden Reward)**

 **(Hidden Reward)**

 **(Hidden Reward)**

 **Failure:**

 **Haku dies**

 **Time Limit:**

 **12 Years – (Start of 'Canon')**

 **Quest Accepted!**

"Now – Haku-chan," I said, smiling, "Your training is going to be… _special_."

* * *

 **XXXXXXXXXX**

* * *

 _Finally!_

I could not help the grin that came to my face as I finally reached my destination – reached the place I had been trying to find, and of course, the location in which I was certain was the reason that Orochimaru had come to Mizu no Kuni.

 **New Location Discovered!**

 **Kaguya Clan Compound**

"Shepherd-sama, the Kaguya's are known for being incredibly bloodthirsty warriors – are you certain that it is wise to enter?"

They were still alive, which meant, that they hadn't yet gone off on a foolish quest to prove their superiority by attacking Kiri, which meant, the young boy with one of the deadliest bloodlines and determination was still present – locked up in their basement out of fear.

The compound was a fairly large one, and some people gave us berth and stared, having not expecting to see the missionaries and spreaders of the religion of Gatoism so far down south. I stared towards the open gates, noticing the two guards who stood with white hair at the entrance. Ironic, I realized, how it was that these people were one of the few direct descendants of Kaguya herself. Yet, they were woefully unaware of their heritages.

Then again, no one on the planet was aware of the fact that there are aliens currently living on the moon either – if the events of _The Last_ aka _Naruhina: The_ _Movie_ are to be taken as canon.

"Halt!" The guard said, "The Kaguya clan does not accept any visi –"

 **CHARISMA BITCH** **!**

Overloading it and thrusting at the two guards had the effect of making their eyes go wide as they turned their gazes towards me, the unassuming figure with the long curved staff.

"I am an emissary of the Divine. And the Divine seeks the one in your compound – the demon you call… Kimimaro."


	7. Training and Sea Travel

**Got a new Fairy Tail fic. Check it out if you've got the stomach for it. Or don't and be a pussy.**

 **Also, there was something I wanted to say here... but forgot. Hmm. I'll remember in time. Just enjoy this chapter for now you lovable enjoyers you!**

 **Oh, wait - I remember now. A reviewer (vincent1875 - the enigmatic sharp eyed reviewer who notices nearly any inconsistencies and plot holes and has me scrambling my ass to cover them up) asked "How can Gat train Haku if he isn't a shinobi?"**

 **My answer - "How do coaches train footballers even though they don't actively play?"**

* * *

 **Son of Gato**

* * *

Gato was impressed.

Again, this was a sentiment which the man known as the richest in the world rarely ever attained. Once more, he found his expectations being reached and surpassed. Except, this time around, he was _genuinely_ flabbergasted. The shock and disbelief could not be kept away from his coiled mustache, and the brat, looking up at him, spotted a wide grin that clearly showed his satisfaction at accomplishing feats that Gato himself had not expected.

"So, let me get this straight brat –" Gato said, taking in a deep breath "In your little four weeks adventure into the Land of Water – you gained an alliance with the rebel foggers of Kiri, you spread your cult into a full blown religion and somehow got the _Daimyo_ , to approve it as the _official_ religion of Mizu no Kuni, oh, and this is also while getting him to remove support from the Mizukage, _while_ you somehow converted the entirety of the fucking Kaguya Clan, into a bunch of fanatical religious nutjobs."

The boy was smiling now. Smiling in that way that seemed innocent, yet, the underlying smugness might have well been slapped in Gato's face.

 _He's gotten better at hiding his emotions_.

No – not better – he'd gotten nigh-perfect at it. If it weren't for the fact that the boy was his own son, Gato would have no doubt that he would never be able to understand what the boy was thinking.

 _Does he even know how_ terrifying _that is?_

 _How_ awe-inspiring _?_

Pride welled up in him in a manner that it had never before. The sensation overwhelmed him so much that he had no idea when he picked up the boy into his arms and began laughing.

"HAHAHAHA! THAT'S MY BOY!"

"Goddamnit tou-san! Not in front of my followers!"

* * *

 **S = O = G**

* * *

 **Congratulations! You have aged up!**

 **You are now five (5) years old!**

 **You have now unlocked new features!**

It was the morning of my fifth birthday.

The changes, I noticed almost immediately. My hair had grown a few inches, and so had my height. My face had lost a surprising amount of baby-fat and was now leaner. I looked easily to be eight or nine, rather than five, and I wondered if the sudden height boost was as a result of the extra **Charisma** which was now bleeding in and affecting my appearance, growth and development. Still, I could not complain at feeling the smooth long hair that reached my neck. Perhaps I'd braid it later on.

Still, I was hesitant to sit up, particularly because it had been such a long time since I slept on an _actual_ bed. My room was exactly as I had left it, exactly as I had remembered it, with nothing seemingly changing about it, yet, I couldn't help but muse at the realization that I was not the same person who had slept on this same bed four weeks ago.

A shame, because I knew that this would be the last time I would be sleeping on this bed for a _long_ while. It would be the last time I would see this room for a long while as well. I climbed out of the bed, stretching extensively, before taking a cursory glance at my wardrobe. Packing was so much easier when you had a personal **Inventory** to just toss everything inside. I put on a familiar pair of my famous white priest robes, and brought out my curved staff, before taking a deep breath as I walked out the door of the room.

"Shepherd-sama."

The maids, as I had trained them to, immediately stopped and knelt the second they saw me, before lowering their heads even further, their pink-tinted cheeks and shortness of breaths not lost on me in the slightest.

"Sanctifications."

Giving them 'blessings' in the form of rubbing my hands over their hair and applying lower, concentrated doses of **Charisma** always had the desired effects of entrenching their loyalty. Some would often faint from the mere contact of my hand upon their skin, others would try in vain to hide their obvious sexual arousal that came from being around my **Charisma** , and the rest would merely 'shudder' for a brief second and gain a 'glazed' look in their eyes.

I ignored their reactions for the most part – as long as their undying faith and loyalty remained, I could care less about whether or not they got off from my touches.

Moving past them, I made my way to the dining quarters, only to frown slightly when I could only find Haku, Kitami, and my latest companion present there. I paused for a second before announcing my presence and instead chose to listen in on the duo.

"This is the home of Shepherd-sama… to have been given such an honor to be within its walls…" the voice said, easily sounding awestruck.

"Shepherd-sama abandoned all this wealth – so he could preach the works of the Divine!"

"I… see." The voice spoke again. "I… still do not understand. Out of my entire clan – I am the one considered least worthy. I am the one with this… demonic power… yet, the Shepherd has chosen me to be one of his direct disciples… he brought me salvation and more… why?"

"The least shall become the most; and the stone rejected by the builder shall become the cornerstone on which the foundation of the building is set. It is written in the Holy Scriptures! The Book of Beneath-Hounds, Chapter 7, Verse 13."

I couldn't help the amusement that washed upon my face, at the knowledge that Haku had suitably memorized my Holy Scriptures to such a degree. Funny how, despite turning to atheism in my previous life, after nearly seventeen years of Christianity – I found myself actually _preaching_ the gospel, although, with myself as a stand in for the Messiah.

"So… there is something… great… that Shepherd-sama sees in me? He believes… I can be someone… important?"

I chose that moment to walk in.

"You _are_ someone important, Kimimaro. You merely have not yet realized it."

There was a brief moment of shock that I could _sense_ from the room, not just from Haku and Kimimaro, but from Kitami as well. Kimimaro was the first to recover, dropping to one knee.

"My – my lord – Shepherd-sama, forgive me – I did not –"

I turned to Haku, who was looking equally dazed. "Shepherd-sama – your appearance – you –"

"I appear as though I have aged by two or three years overnight?"

A slow nod was her response, and I merely laughed.

"Fear not! This – this is the will of the divine! This is him – telling me, preparing me, for the journey and tasks ahead – for the destiny that awaits all of us! This. Is. His. _Providence!_ "

I just _loved_ how I could explain the weird phenomena that happened to me as the work of a supernatural deity, and no one would bat an eye. Had I known this was how much fun it could be playing the religious man, I would have become a pastor in my past life.

Whereas I was easily the same height as Haku beforehand, I was now a full head and shoulders taller than her, and Kimimaro, the latest addition to my "Disciples", was shorter than me by a few inches.

"Now, all of that aside," I said, "Today – we begin on an important journey – a quest which will truly shape the foundations of this world."

I turned to the both of them. "Make your preparations, gather all the items which you feel will be required for a long journey – for we shall be leaving Mizu no Kuni – and we may not be returning for a long, long while."

"Yes, Shepherd-sama!"

"As you command, Shepherd-sama."

With them gone, I could finally sit back and take a deep breath.

"Hey, Kitami."

"Yes, Shepherd-sama?"

I rolled my eyes.

"Cut the Shepherd-sama bull. This is Gat talking, not the Shepherd."

There was a bit of amusement on his lips. "I was unaware that there was a difference, Shepherd-sama."

"You're going to keep calling me that to get on my nerves aren't you?"

"I do not understand what you mean, _Shepherd-sama_."

I rubbed my nose. "Cheeky old bastard."

A twitch. "I'm not old, I'm decently middle-aged."

"Words only an old guy would utter."

"Perhaps. But at least, there are benefits to being _decently middle-aged_."

I snorted. "Like?"

"Sex and booze."

"They're overrated."

"Spoken like someone who is too young to get either."

I frowned. "Hey, I _can_ get both if I wanted to."

"Haku doesn't count."

"What? No – ugh – she's _four!_ "

"And you've recently turned five. Isn't that the age when you start _experimenting?_ " amusement was coloring his tone "I can assure you, no one would think worse of you if you put your wee-wee into her. She might even be happy if you did."

I have him a scrunched up look. "You weren't always _this_ sick in the head, were you?"

"I also wasn't _always_ the bodyguard of the most important religious leader in Mizu no Kuni – who has a _clan_ of warriors as his sworn Champions and managed to survive an encounter with Orochimaru of the Sannin by _talking to him_." He shrugged. "Things change."

I blinked. "That wasn't really an impressive feat –"

"The fact that you don't think much of it only cements it further in my mind Gat-sama."

"Cements what?"

Kitami hummed. "The fact that swearing my life and loyalty to you was indeed, the greatest decision I have ever made." He then shook his head, "You may grab a random woman from the streets, and you may order men to rape and murder her in the vilest ways possible, and my conviction would not be changed. Through thick or thin – till you become a god or the devil himself – I will stand behind you – your sword and your shield – because this is the path that I have chosen."

I was genuinely at a loss for words. Was this the effect of the S-Rank Charisma, or was this something else?

I had always thought of Kitami as my own version of The Hound from Game of Thrones, but, this went above and beyond that. The Hound was essentially just dumb, powerful muscle, who obeyed because he was programmed and conditioned to obey, and had no thoughts or goals or desires of his own. Kitami, on the other hand –

He wasn't a brute sycophant.

Was this a good, or a bad thing?

"Thank you, Kitami."

"There is nothing for which you need to thank me for, Gat-sama. If anything – I am forever in your debt – for you gave my life purpose and meaning once more." The man then reached for an object, bringing it what seemed to be a small box, and handing it to me.

"Something, to perhaps aid you, Gat-sama – little as it may be."

He bowed his head, and walked away, leaving me with the small, ornate brown box with a red tie on it.

"Oh, and Gat-sama –"

He stopped at the door, to _smile_.

"Happy Birthday."

* * *

 **Son of Gato**

* * *

It was strange, hearing those words. I honestly could not remember the last time I had heard them, and I slowly realized, that I had not heard them at all in my five years in this world. That was the first time anyone had actually told me that: 'Happy Birthday'.

Considering how I had only gotten into Gato's good graces less than a year ago, it was to be expected, but still, why did it feel so strange to hear those words – to hear someone wishing _me_ a Happy Birthday? It was odd – confusing.

Still, I took my time to carefully open Kitami's gift, untying the red ribbon and opening the box.

Inside, was a pair of fingerless gloves with reflective metal plates at the back, in the same manner that was often worn by shinobi. I frowned. It was a thoughtful gift – but gloves? Fingerless gloves? Weren't those one of those objects high on the 'cool-but-impractical' list?

I decided to give it a cursory glance with **Observe** to see if it was worth anything.

 **Mastercraft Item**

 **Gloves of the Devoted**

 **Durability: 1000/1000**

 **Defense: +70**

 **Effects: +65 Agility and +25 Strength**

 **Lasts: 3000 Days**

I wheezed.

 _Jesus-FUCKING-Christ –_

I stared at the effects again to make sure that I had not accidentally read it wrong. _65_ _Agility?_

That was a _massive_ boost. That was easily B Rank to B+ Rank – the equivalent of a Special Jonin or a Rookie ANBU – all gotten from putting on a _pair of fucking gloves?!_

I knew that the Gamer was a bullshit power – but this was _ridiculous_. I was certain that these gloves wouldn't have the same effect for any other random bloke who put them on. Not that I cared about the sheer unfairness of it all, as I checked up on my status.

 **Name: Gato Junior**

 **HP: 200/200**

 **CHK: 51/51**

 **Level: 3**

 **Age: 5**

 **Rank: Civilian**

 **Title: Little Cutthroat**

 **EXP: 103/5000**

 **Money: Approx. 55,000,000,000 Ryo**

 **SPECIAL**

 **Strength: 4 [E– Rank]**

 **Perseverance: 25 [D Rank]**

 **Endurance: 37 [C Rank]**

 **Charisma: 101 (+20) [S Rank]**

 **Intelligence: 19 (+20) [C Rank]**

 **Agility: 4 [E– Rank]**

 **Luck: 100 [A Rank]**

 **You have (7) undistributed points**

I put six points into Agility to make it a round 10, before allocating the remaining one point into Strength to make it an even 5, and then, I took a deep breath as I put on the gloves.

 **SPECIAL**

 **Strength: 5 (+25) [C– Rank]**

 **Perseverance: 25 [D Rank]**

 **Endurance: 37 [C Rank]**

 **Charisma: 101 (+20) [S Rank]**

 **Intelligence: 19 (+20) [C Rank]**

 **Agility: 10 (+65) [B+ Rank]**

 **Luck: 100 [A+ Rank]**

I almost wanted to laugh, but I felt that laughing would be ill-fitted for the situation. I had the same Agility as _ANBU_ , meaning that I was currently faster and nimbler than someone like _Anko_ , and was almost as fast as someone like _Yugao_. Strength wise, I had gone from absolutely pitiful strength, to being as strong as an Elite Genin or a Rookie Chunin. All of which, had happened from merely putting on a pair of gloves.

I was aware, of course, that this boost was a temporary one. 3000 days – and then the glove would lose its effects. Still, 3000 days was approximately over eight years – and for the next eight years, I would have ANBU Level speed and dexterity.

My body felt _lighter_ , my fingers felt faster, nimbler, and it was as though I was walking on air. Movement which had felt like a hassle, was now so fluid, that I felt as though I could break into a musical number and start tangoing with all the maids effortlessly.

Ah, all this athletic skill, and the only thing it was used for, was killing and combat. Gods, shinobi could be so stupid at times. Someone ought to introduce breakdancing and ballet to these uncultured swine.

It seemed that someone would have to be me, unfortunately.

It would be amusing teaching them though. That I had to admit.

I shook my head at the stray thought, before once more focusing on the fact that I felt lighter than a feather, and I used the opportunity to do things and maneuvers I'd never have dreamed about in my past life. From doing perfect splits, to one-handed handstands, to bending my body and curving my back all the way to the ground, to just plain backflips, tumbles, and exaggerated martial art movements, I worked up a sweat, and was still grinning like a loon from doing all of it.

Was this how Bruce Lee had felt? Was this how athletes felt on a regular basis? Guess there was something to the whole 'exercise' thing that people kept talking about. Endorphins were exhilarating.

"…What are you doing?"

I froze like a deer in headlights when I heard the voice, and turned to find my father standing at the doorway of my room.

"… Just some… early morning calisthenics."

 **Charisma Check Failed!**

Yeah, he wasn't going to buy that one, even with the S-Rank Charisma.

"Hmm… I'd say you've gotten stranger boy – but considering how you've always been strange in one way or another, I'm not sure how much meaning that word has anymore."

"Thanks…?"

Gato stood and gave me an appraising look, most likely, he was observing the fact that I'd grown far taller than was possible for someone my age in such a short amount of time. He seemed like he was going to comment on it, for a second, and I knew he'd see past any bullshit explanation that I could give.

"Well – what are you waiting for? Your ship has been ready since midnight. Get everything you need, and get going!"

I rolled my eyes at the man. Typical Gato.

* * *

 **Son of Gato**

* * *

 **Year Five - Month One, Day One**

The S.S. Gatebreaker was Gato's 'gift' to me for my fifth birthday. She was a fine ship, one with enough space that it could have been mistaken for a cruise ship at first glance, but it wasn't necessarily large enough to be one.

It was a technologically advanced vessel, and not one of those things which required a mast and a sail, and as much as I'd like to go into detail into the specifics and aesthetics of the vessel, I had not been taught, nor did I care to learn the terminology. As far as I was concerned, it was a ship, with cabins, rooms, enough space on deck, a kitchen, a bar, a storage unit, and a suitable crew – and that was all I needed to know.

The Crew of course, were expert sailors that I'd handpicked personally from Waterlily Port Town, because it was essential that they were absolutely loyal to me and to me alone. I hadn't picked _any_ and I mean _any_ member of the Kaguya Clan. The only member of the clan that was of any use to me was Kimimaro, and I'd already had him – the rest were insignificant. I'd chosen three or four maids here and there to complete the ship, but essentially, the outline of the vessel comprised of myself, Haku and Kimimaro, Kitami, the Captain, First Mate, Crew, and Four Maids.

That was all I needed.

 **Vessel Unlocked – S.S. Gatebreaker!**

 **World Map Unlocked!**

 **You can now travel to the vast countries of the elemental nations!**

There were many who came to see me off. Mostly because they assumed that I was going on some sort of pilgrimage journey, for which I would be converting the rest of the world to my religion. While it was true, in a sense, and I _would_ be doing that, they were unaware of my actual motives of conquering this world _my_ way. The religious aspect was just _one_ of such ways, and though it seemed to be working so far, I'd take a page out of the Sid Meier's Civilization VI game, and choose _not_ to rely on only one path to victory. Who said I couldn't _dominate_ the entire planet, without ever having to lift a finger in battle?

This was how I found myself, standing at the end of the ship, the sound of crashing waves serving as the crescendo of music in the background, the smell of seawater filling my nostrils as I stared over to the people of Waterlily Port Town, stared over to my father, and I couldn't help the magnificent grin that was filled upon my face at that moment.

"TODAY!"

I roared, allowing my voice to immediately carry over to the masses that had come to see _me_ off. The masses who were either inspired or enthralled by me, the masses who lapped up every word I spoke, the masses who would sooner be willing to kill their own siblings than to go against my words.

"THE SHEPHERD SHALL CROSS THE SEA!" I grinned, and then I pumped my fist into the air. "GAT BEGINS HIS JOURNEY!"

I pointed at them.

"FOR YOU!"

At myself.

"FOR ME!"

At the sky.

"FOR THE DIVINE!"

I stretched my arms open.

"FOR THE WORLD!"

It was uncharacteristic of me, but at this point, the positive energy I was generating was rolling over the populace like a tidal wave.

"GAT-SAMA!

"SHEPHERD-SAMA!"

"GAT-SAMA!"

"GAT-SAMA!"

"GAT-SAMA!"

"GAT-SAMA!"

I watched as they chanted, as the ship's horn blew and began leaving the harbor, as the men, women, children, young, old, disabled, all of them, chanted my name in unision, all of them, watched and stood as the journey began.

And there he was, my father, standing, he epitome of pride, as a large grin overwhelmed his face, and he didn't need to say anything. He knew, and I knew, that I had accomplished something. As the chants began to increase in volume, and as it began to blur, it sounded less and less like my name, and all I could hear were the chants –

"GAT-SAMA!"

"GAT-SAMA!"

"GAT-SAMA!"

" _GAT_ - _SAMA!_ "

My goal to become the God-Emperor of the world was off to a tremendous start.

* * *

~~~~~~~~~~~~ Son of Gato ~~~~~~~~

* * *

 **Year Five – Month One, Day Two**

The accommodations on the SS Gatebreaker, while not quite up to standard of the one's back at the mansion, was still somewhat acceptable. My room in particular, which I had a feeling was up to Gato's shenanigans, making it easily one of the largest rooms on the entire vessel, with an extra-comfortable looking king-sized bed that had no business being on a vessel of this size. Still, I supposed that I could not complain, particularly due to the fact that the gentle rocking of the boat often tended to give me slight nausea and sea-sickness. I did my best to shove it down though, because I could not afford, under any circumstance to appear weaker than I actually was. At least, for now, whilst I was still exerting significant influence over Haku and Kimimaro. Perhaps in later years, things might change, but for now, I doubted it.

I'd taken the previous day to inform the captain of our course for the first destination, and there had been no skepticism, questions or curious raising of the eyebrows. Just absolute determination and dedication… as well as the realization that it'd take about four to six months to get there.

I could already feel myself missing airplanes and airports.

Four to Six Months at sea just to get to my first destination? That was essentially over half a year. This would not even take into account the time it'd take me to get from that destination to my next one – which would be doubly ridiculous.

While we were suitably, and tremendously well stocked, I had a feeling that we might be making stops every month or so just to stock up on extra necessities in case.

Of course, all this extra time at sea, meant it was more than enough free time to begin training. Thankfully, the deck was large enough, and the type of training I had in mind for my two minions was not of the incredibly destructive variety.

Although, judging by the weird look Kitami was giving me, he seemed to disagree.

"You want me… to train the Kaguya boy, how to fight like a samurai?"

I shook my head. "No, I want you to train Kimimaro how to fight _against_ a samurai."

"I'm not sure I follow."

I sighed. "I want you to beat him to a pulp in training, over and over and over again, until the instinct is fine trained into him to be capable of fighting back, or surviving attacks by either pure instinct or sheer aggravation."

He rose an eyebrow, and I was tempted to just use Charisma to make him do it without arguing, but I thought against it.

"I call it – 'Training by Failure'. Essentially, the best way to become a good Chess – er – Shogi player, is to constantly play against Grand Masters, get thoroughly beaten, then analyze your strategy after defeat to see your mistakes, play again, and then get whooped again, until, eventually, you are capable of at least putting up _some_ challenge by virtue of constantly being defeated and learning your mistakes."

"…Did you think up this method yourself Gat-sama?"

I shrugged. Not really, it was more or less from the years of anime experience, and actual Chess Tournaments I'd played, but he didn't need to know that.

"Don't go easy on him – Kimimaro can heal fast and is far sturdier than normal because of his bloodline."

Kitami nodded.

"Also – if you could train him in some _actual_ swordsmanship skills – that would be great. Might as well teach the guy who can create swords from his body _how_ to use them properly."

"And the girl… Haku?"

A small grin fell upon my lips. "Leave her to me."

* * *

 **Son of Gato**

* * *

 **Year Five, Month One, Day 20**

It wasn't torture.

Or, more specifically, I didn't intend for it to be torture. The goal wasn't necessarily to break her will and desire to serve me, but rather, to mold her into something capable of serving me with all the magnificent prowess she possessed. Considering that my interference has made it so that she would never meet Zabuza, it also meant, that most of the techniques she would have learned under the Demon of the Mist were now lost. Most of the experience. The fighting instinct. In a way, I had crippled her potential – and the only way to make up for it is to ensure, without a shadow of a doubt, that what I did decide to teach her would make anything she could have learned under Zabuza look absolutely trifling.

We'd started with the basics of chakra – channeling it, using it, molding it, and then I had her work on the basic chakra exercises such as sticking paper to her body, and using leaves from my inventory to work on leaf sticking.

I was an excellent tutor, and her desire to prove herself to me aided in making her grasp concepts faster and faster. Or perhaps she was just some sort of hidden genius, either way, I was pleased with the results.

So, we moved on to 'tree-walking' although, in this case, it was 'surface-walking' due to the fact that we were on a ship, and there were no trees anywhere nearby. I had her climb the mast, to the crow's nest and the very top of the ship using nothing but her feet, and, I made her walk _around_ the ship, by using chakra to cling to the external body, with the full knowledge that failing or losing concentration would immediately equal a trip into the ocean. And of course, I wasn't going to jump in and save her, or order the ship to stop so she could get back on. It was a suitable enough motivation to really get her to grasp the basics of chakra control, ensuring that she could use it suitably.

All of this had been done in about twenty days.

In that time frame, Haku could now suitably use chakra as well as a rookie Konohan Genin, if I was using canon Team 7 as a basis.

So, all that was left, was Water-Walking.

This was where the 'torture' began.

"Equalize the chakra distribution between your feet, enabling it to grasp at the water, and ensuring that you are ready for any rapid changes on the surface. Water isn't like normal material, and is constantly changing, likewise, you must learn to subconsciously alter your chakra to match the changes in the water, and keep yourself on top."

We were inside my private bathroom. The large tub was filled to the brim with steaming hot water, and Haku stood in front of me, in a plain T-Shirt and a pair of boxer shorts, which of course, both happened to be mine.

"The water is hot – immensely so. This means, the sooner you are able to grasp the water-walking, the less likely you'll find yourself submerged in scalding water."

Negative reinforcement always worked.

"Hai – Gat-sama!"

"Allow me to demonstrate."

With flourish and a spin, I leapt on top of the water, thankful for the Perfect Chakra Control that enabled me to grasp the technique near instinctively. It was strange, walking on water. It felt like as though I was standing still on a waterbed more than anything else, and I made a few gentle skips and hops over the scalding surface, before I jumped out of the filled bath tub.

"Now – you try."

As expected, it wasn't long before the sound of splashing water, and childish shrieks filled the b

athroom.

I couldn't help the slight twitch of my lips that came from the sounds.

This was _probably_ going to take a while.

* * *

 **Son of Gato**

* * *

 **Year Five, Month Two, Day 4**

I sighed as the notification popped up once more.

 **Mystical Palm Technique has gone up by 3!**

 **Mystical Palm Technique is now at Level 29!**

Due to the fact that Kitami _literally_ beat the living daylights out of Kimimaro every single time they sparred, and Haku's scalds had proven to be somewhat detrimental to her ability to learn, I had no choice but to force myself to learn the Mystical Palm Technique, just to be capable of healing their wounds and getting them ready for the training session the next day.

"There – how do you feel now?"

"T-thank you, Gat-sama."

I merely smiled as Haku nodded eagerly, and immediately went straight back to work. Thankfully, she'd gotten a good enough grasp on Water-Walking for now, but she still needed larger chakra reserves, so I was making her sit down and meditate over a bathtub of scorching hot water. Considering the next step in our training was going to be the basics of Elemental Manipulation, she needed as much exposure to heat as possible, with what I had planned in mind.

But goddamn it – sea travel was _boring_. I could finally understand why cruises usually lasted for such a short period, and I had no idea as to why anyone would deliberately want to travel with this method anymore. A whole month had passed with the only major difference being that we had gone from being in a region with cold water, to a region with slightly warmer water and more temperate atmosphere. Just seawater for as far as the eyes could see.

I supposed this time would also be suitable for me to start _training_ , or at the very least, develop a collection of potentially life-saving jutsu which would aid me in the case of assassination attempts, or in case I ever ran into an S-Rank Shinobi like Orochimaru again.

Although, a _lot_ had changed though, at least, when looking at certain characters in particular. I walked to the large open deck of the ship, an area which had seen more wear than others, and my eyes focused on the two combatants present. One was a samurai, with his swords both wielded, in a calm position with barely a scratch on him, and the other, was a boy my age, with pale white hair, standing on what looked to be his last legs, covered in cuts and bruises, with two, bone white blades in both hands, held in reverse grip, in what looked to be a bastardized version of the Samurai's stance.

A brief glance with **Observe** told me what I needed.

 **Name: Kitami Hiro**

 **Title: The Final Gate**

 **Level: 60**

 **Age: 37**

 **Rank: Ronin (A)**

 **Occupation: Gat's Bodyguard**

Kitami had gone from being Level 45, when I first met him, and being a B– Ranked Ronin, to Level 60, and being firmly A-Ranked. He was, as of now, the level of an experienced Jonin, and I had no doubt in my mind, that only _really_ strong Jonin, such as Kakashi or Gai, would be capable of giving him trouble. People like Asuma or Kurenai wouldn't be a challenge for him anymore.

This meant… Kitami trained.

Strange as it was, the man most likely spent his hours training and becoming better, even though I'd yet to catch him doing anything of the sort.

I turned my eyes to Kimimaro.

 **Name: Kimimaro Kaguya**

 **Title: N/A**

 **Level: 23**

 **Age: 5**

 **Rank: Shinobi (C+)**

 **Occupation: N/A**

My eyebrow rose slightly at that. Kimimaro was already C+ Ranked? At age _five_? This meant he was already at the level of an experienced _Chunin_. I knew that he was strong in Canon, at least, strong enough to have fought off Rock Lee and survived Gaara's sand, but if he was Chunin level at age five, at age seventeen, he should have been at least Kage level.

My nose furrowed. Except, that logic didn't necessarily hold. For instance, Kakashi had been Jonin level at a ridiculously young age, but he stagnated and at age 29, he'd still been nothing more than Jonin level.

Had it been my influence that made Kimimaro this strong this early? I mean, it had only been a month since I ordered Kitami to spar Kimimaro, every single day, three times a day, only stopping to rest, eat and sleep. Did this have such a huge effect on Kimimaro's growth? It was just one month of non-stop combat after all.

Well… except, my memory was good, and I knew, that it had only taken Sasuke, one month, during the Chunin Exams to suddenly become as fast as Rock Lee and be capable of breaking through Gaara's automatic sand defense. I highly doubted that during that training period Kakashi had been pushing Sasuke non-stop to the verge of possible death, and their training had been significantly lax – yet, the results of one month of training had showed.

There were, of course, things that didn't add up. If Kimimaro had this much potential, he should have been Kage-level by the time Canon rolled around, sickness or not. The only explanation as to why he wasn't, was that Orochimaru didn't take the time to properly train his lieutenants and make them achieve their utmost capabilities, or Kimimaro had been nerfed badly by Kishimoto in order to give the good guys a fighting chance.

Considering the fact that both of these were very likely possibilities, I wasn't sure which option I'd go for.

With a start that drew my attention, I was made aware of the fact that the battle had continued. Kimimaro lunged forward, both bone blades in hand, moving at a speed that I could easily track, but was nonetheless impressive for him. Kitami however, was unimpressed, and he merely used a single sword to catch both of the boy's blades. The taller stronger man broke through Kimimaro's defense with ease, his sword coming down for a slash that could, and _would_ have sliced the boy in two. Kimimaro's reflexes were faster however, and he was able to block the attack by extending the bones of his fingers out of his hand, and using them to _catch_ the blade.

Well – he'd never done _that_ in Canon.

The extended bone fingers immediately pointed in Kitami's direction, and, already predicting what was coming, the expert bodyguard leaned backwards to evade the spray of bone bullets that shot out from Kimimaro's hands like a miniature machinegun.

Another thing that he _definitely_ did not know how to do before.

With the speed those things had been flying at, anyone below Chunin Rank would have been dead before they knew what hit them.

Also, I came to the realization that _nobody_ vocalized or called out the name of their attacks in the Naruto world. It was beyond stupid to do so, and it had only ever been done in the anime because it was for the benefit of the people watching to know the names of the moves. It had never been done in the manga. Instead, a subscript had been there providing the name of the jutsu. My **Observe** instinctively told me the name of the techniques however, which I supposed had its important uses.

 **Rapid Fire Bone Bullet.**

I rose an eyebrow. It was lethal – tremendously so. It also reminded me of a certain lethal bone-like attack, which was supposedly claimed to turn all that it hit into ash. A veritable, one-hit-kill technique. Teaching Kimimaro to use it would have to come soon, that is, of course, assuming that it could be learned and as not a technique exclusive to the rabbit goddess alone.

Still, I felt I was satisfied with Kimimaro's progress so far.

I clapped my hand once, immediately drawing the attention of both combatants to me.

"That's enough for today. I have plans for Kimimaro for now, and I felt it would be best if he still had energy left."

I spun around and waved my hand. "Come now Kimimaro, we have work to be done."

* * *

 **Son of Gato**

* * *

 **Year Five, Month Three, Day 23**

The days rapidly began to blur into each other. It settled into a pattern, teaching Haku, healing Haku, working with Kimimaro on our secret project, watching his progress in spars with Kitami, rinse and repeat. Seafaring voyages were easily the least favorite part of my life, and I could not wait to get to our destination, and hopefully get what I needed to permanently consider sea travel out of the question.

I did, however, begin working on one thing to ensure my safety since I had been aboard the _Gatebreaker_. With B+ Rank Agility, it meant that I no longer had the pitiful butterfingers I once possessed. Likewise, this translated to being capable of holding a brush in my hand and not splattering ink all over in a clumsy mess. This, of course, translated to gaining new and improved levels in **Calligraphy**. It was the only skill in my "ABC's of Successful Businessmen" that had previously possessed an abysmally pathetic level.

Now though?

I stood in front of a large piece of canvas, staring ornately and the exquisitely drawn kanji for my name. The brushes strokes were elegant, with not a single blotch present, not a single wasted movement, not a single intersection or cross-sectioning that would have belayed amateurism. No – it had all been written in one smooth, elegant, professional manner. There was little doubt in my mind that it could be sold for several million.

 **Calligraphy Lv. 89**

Yet, the skill wasn't even maxed out. I snorted. I wondered what it would mean to have a maxed out skill in the art, if I could do this without it. Regardless, fancy writing was only a prologue to attain the most coveted branch of techniques in the world. The essential equivalent of being a Master Enchanter.

 _Fuinjutsu._

Of course, I wasn't going to be stupid enough to try messing with Fuinjutsu on a ship of all things. No, not even something as seemingly 'minor' as a sealing scroll. The possibility that I would do something immensely dangerous without realizing it was high, hence, I would wait until I was on land before beginning my dabble into the scribbly words of infinite power.

"Gat-sama,"

I turned my attention to the door, finding Kitami standing there.

"The captain says we need to stop to restock on supplies and other necessities."

I rose an eyebrow. "We have restocked the past couple of times without informing me… what changed?"

"It's _where_ we're restocking this time around."

My eyebrow went higher, gesturing him to continue.

"We're in the Land of Fire."

I blinked. _Oh._

"Am I right in assuming there is something you wish to do here, Gat-sama?"

Slowly, my lips upturned.

"Why… yes Kitami." I said.

A slow grin fell on my lips. "Yes indeed."


	8. Beautiful Debts

**Faster update than normal. Got some free time, might as well use it eh?**

* * *

 **Year Five – Month Three, Day 24**

What did it mean to have a maxed out **Falsification** skill?

"This is the schedule. Kimimaro-kun is in charge while Kitami and I are gone, and Haku-chan, I expect you to teach Kimimaro-kun the advanced chakra techniques we've worked on. Kimimaro-kun – I need you to work on Haku-chan's combat ability. Spar with her as much as you can and don't hold back."

I received two sharp nods and eager eyes. Kitami stood behind me, ever the sharp-eyed bodyguard, and I had taken to wearing a newly customized version of my robes, with a slimmer build and longer outfit to compensate for my slightly increased height. We had disembarked from the ship, and made our way into the port town before the thought had occurred to me. A Maxed out **Falsification** skill. It might seem useless, in comparison to having some incredibly flashy ninjutsu that can destroy the planet, but that did not detract from the sheer power that I had at my disposal with that ability. Such as, for instance, **falsifying** a letter from the Daimyo of the Land of Water which granted me immediate captaincy over any ship that belonged to Mizu no Kuni. Or perhaps, **falsifying** documents, passports and boarding passes for anyone I wanted, with nothing but a bit of paper and a pen. If I wanted to, I could whip up a false deed for a plot of land, and make it appear so genuine that the real article seemed like a fake – effortlessly stealing and taking land without having to spend a single dime.

Ah… the possibilities.

"Gat-sama – if I may ask," Kitami spoke, his sharp eyes narrowing as we moved through the town "What exactly is it that we intend to do in the Land of Fire?"

I mulled over my thoughts, before thinking slowly. "Tell me Kitami – you've known me the longest haven't you."

"Yes…?" he said, unsurely.

"And you know I can usually bullshit my way through anything, and you clearly don't believe for a second that I'm some divine chosen."

"Remembering those men you slaughtered on your father's orders _does_ detract from the peaceful messiah-mode you adopt these days." He said with a twitch of the lips.

"But," I continued unperturbed "You can't explain or understand how I do half the shit I do."

"That, also, is true." He conceded. "Although Gat-sama, I fail to see how any of this has to do with what we are doing in the Land of Fire."

"All I am establishing, is that you are used to me doing impossible, arguably suicidal stunts by now."

"And I take it… we are about to do something of the sorts here as well." He wagered.

I reached into my 'robes' bringing out a piece of paper and handed it to him.

"Meeting with the Fire Daimyo's court. Establishing relations with the Fire Daimyo's court. Establishing Gatoism in the Fire Daimyo's court and surrounding kingdoms. Increasing the spread of the religion." His left eyebrow tilted slightly. "I fail to see how this is any more or less suicidal than normal."

"You haven't reached the good part yet."

Slowly, he turned his gaze back to the paper.

"Meeting with a Sannin. Blackmailing a Sannin. Kidnapping an heiress to a prominent clan. Stealing techniques from Konoha – stealing bloodlines from – okay. Yes, this is definitely far more suicidal than normal." He rubbed his nose very, very slowly.

"I take it the first agenda is going to be the one that has us meeting with a legendary Sannin."

I smirked. "My, Kitami, we might make a fantastic detective out of you yet."

His eye seemingly twitched.

"Now, onwards – to Tanzaku Gai – and pretty much every casino in the Land of Fire."

* * *

 **S - O - G**

* * *

I was disappointed.

The road to Tanzaku Gai was filled with nothing more than a few minor bandits which Kitami dispatched before they even had a chance to properly mount their attacks. They had run screaming once they realized they stood no chance, but of course, 'mercy' was the name of a woman that Kitami had not yet known. Hence, he hunted them down, slaughtered them, slaughtered their camp, slaughtered their leaders, and left his head impaled on a stake to warn off any who might choose to go to the life of banditry.

"I-I h-have mouths t-t-to f-fe-ed! C-children! P-p-please! S-s-spare me!"

"If you are privileged to have a next life, do not make choices that will make your children into orphans."

Ah, the sound of Kitami giving a bond one-liner as he sliced through a particularly desperate bandit was the highlight of the entire trip. Still, other than that, nothing had actually delayed us much on our journey. We moved at shinobi pace, and I couldn't help but smirk at Kitami's wide-eyed, disbelieving gaze when I showed off my B+ ranked Agility that had me moving as fast as he did. Clearly, he did not expect me to be as fast as an elite shinobi, and I merely waved my hands and pointed to the sky in explanation.

"The Divine works in mysterious ways."

He rolled his eyes, but at this point, I could tell that he was starting to slightly believe in the religion – as it was honestly the only viable way to explain half of the things I did. Of course, I _could_ have told him the truth that the gloves he gave me as a birthday gift granted me this speed, but that was less believable than me being the champion of some unseen supernatural force.

Regardless, the source of my initial disappointment was not on the journey to the city, nor was it upon arriving in the large city with sprawling, culture-rich architecture – oh no. I was disappointed because of how absolutely, _ridiculously_ easy it was to find Tsunade of the Sannin.

This was currently a mere six months after the Kyubi's attack on Konoha, and the moniker of Legendary Sucker was already slowly going strong.

"Yeah, I know her. Big tits, bigger debts. Never seen someone lose so much money in one round of poker before."

We walked into the first, and I mean the _first_ casino we found, with me having to disarm the bouncers with my Charisma to allow me in, and I casually asked around about the blonde haired Sannin. Nearly everyone began to laugh and regal tales about her terrible gambling ability. Nearly _everyone_ had something to say about it. Some though, were more annoyed than others.

"If you see that bitch, tell her she's got something coming to her! She owes me over sixteen thousand ryo – and she just ditched and ran with that apprentice of hers instead of paying me!"

I turned to Kitami, and then back to the men in the casino.

"How many of you people here… are owed debts by Tsunade of the Sannin?"

Several dozen hands went up.

I rubbed my nose slowly. This was going to be annoying.

* * *

 **S - O - G**

* * *

 **Congratulations!**

 **You have purchased the accumulated debt of Tsunade of the Sannin for a discounted 70% of:**

 **4,231,125 Ryo**

 **Skills used in deal:**

 **Haggling (Passive) Lv. 71**

 **Deal-Brokering (Passive) Lv. 82**

"Gat-sama – I don't believe grinding your teeth that hard is healthy."

"Your veins are showing – and your face is very red. Is this the start of an illness?"

"You're almost breaking your staff you know."

I inhaled. Taking in a deep, incredibly deep breath, and then I exhaled. Rinse. Repeat. Rinse. Repeat.

In the past few hours, I had done my best to find the debt collectors, and confirm who Tsunade truly owed debts, and then I purchased all of it. I was expecting it to be much, but for god's fucking sakes, at 70% off – _four million ryo?!_

How – how could _anyone_ – and this was still twelve whole _years_ before Naruto would meet her and pound sense into her skull, and her debt was already that much. How much would it be if – when that time eventually rolled around?

I didn't even want to know. Instead, I looked behind me to find Kitami's slightly amused expression. "I did not expect one of Konoha's most honorary kunoichi to be someone who gambled and ran from her debts. Perhaps ironic, is the fact that she is the kunoichi that is considered most exemplary in the world."

"Perhaps you can tell her about how she's not living up to her reputation when we meet her."

He seemed to think it over. "I would rather not."

I rolled my eyes. "Come on, let's find her and get this day over with. We're on a schedule here."

"How exactly do we go about finding her?"

I glanced my attention to my minimap. Gods this thing was broken. It was like being a sensor, without actually being a sensor. Still – it wasn't good enough to show me extreme threats far above my skill level, such as in the case of Orochimaru. It was, however, still good enough to use in finding people.

Let's see… filter – chakra.

The map immediately filtered out all the non-chakra users, and left those who could use chakra on the blimp. Kitami appeared beside me, a moderately glowing blue icon to indicate an ally, and I scanned through the map for two chakra signatures clustered together, one large, and one medium-to-small. It wouldn't necessarily take long to find them with this thing. Though, I'd need to find a way to increase the range of this mini-map to being more than a measly 150 feet.

"This way."

I followed the map with judicial prudence, recollecting myself and focusing purely on my goal. It wasn't long until I eventually found what I was looking for, two chakra signatures – although, they were inside a bar rather than a casino.

Pathetic. So much talent and gift, wasted with years spoilt in pointless grief. As a shinobi, death was something one was accustomed to, but the minute she lost her loved ones, she decided to waste her life drinking and gambling away like a child throwing a massive tantrum at the world.

I chilled my expression.

How many lives could have been saved had she continued to carry on instead of quitting and running? How many shinobi would she have prevented from dying with her expertise? Her knowledge? Those lives meant nothing to me in the long run, but I heavily disliked the concept of having power to change the world, and choosing to squander it.

Of course, Sarutobi was a genial old fool who enjoyed playing favorites. He could never bring himself to rein in the disastrous train wreck that was Tsunade of the Sannin. The same way he could not bring himself to arrest or kill his student Orochimaru after catching him red-handed in his deeds. Soft. Soft and weak.

That – would have to change.

* * *

 **S = O = G**

* * *

"Tsunade-sama! You've had enough for today!"

"O-one muh drink – come uhn Shiiizune… I haven't… ahm not even druuuunk yeet."

Shizune frowned. It hurt, to see her mentor in this state. Days like this, wherein Tsunade managed to get lucky and win a large sum, she would immediately come to a bar and spend most of it on sake and alcohol. She would drink and drink until she was passed out unconscious, leaving Shizune with no choice but to stand guard over her, and drag her back to their rooms for the night to prevent any unsavory characters from taking advantage of her.

Some had tried, several times. They saw the young sixteen year old Shizune and assumed they could take her, and then have their way with Tsunade of the Sannin. Shizune however, was a kunoichi in their own right, and they were not. Of course, the problem was, Shizune knew it would only be a matter of time before she ran into a skilled enemy shinobi who wanted to 'try his luck' and the grim fate that awaited her was not pleasant.

It was why Tsunade never strayed out of the Land of Fire, or out of its neighboring allied lands. If they made the mistake of going to a bar or casino in the Land of Earth – the Sannin apprentice shuddered at the thought.

"Tsunade of the Sannin."

It was not everyday that Shizune heard her sensei's name be called in a voice that was so cold and so leveled, a voice which made her, a Sannin apprentice and shinobi in her own right, to jerk upright as though the Hokage had just barked an order to her.

Tsunade seemed to have been responsive to the call, a slight amount of clarity entering her eyes, and they both turned to see the odd sight in front of them

A young boy, of perhaps maybe nine or ten, with long flowing black hair that would possibly make a Hyuga die of envy, a smooth and refined face that would make the Hyuga die a second time of greater envy, stood, with white robes that seemed accurate for a priest or religious man, a curved staff in his hand, and a pleasant, but eerily ominous smile on his face.

Behind him, an older gentleman with samurai-like robes, and two swords kept on both sides of his person, a rough, thick beard, slightly lazy, but still sharp eyes, and a hair tied into a short ponytail stood. Shizune could _feel_ the chakra rolling off this man. Clearly, he was experienced – experienced enough that the young woman knew if it came to blows, she would not stand a chance against him. Thankfully, he seemed to be the younger boy's bodyguard, and did not look like the type to randomly seek conflict.

"Who's asking?" Tsunade responded in a slurred voice.

"My name is Gat. I am the High Priest of the Divine, and I am often called the Shepherd."

Shizune had heard rumors about it. Nothing substantial, just that all of the Mizu no Kuni, the Land of Water, had converted to a new religion. The religion was officially backed by the Daimyo, and had temples and places of worship being developed all over. Traders from Mizu no Kuni were the ones who spread the religion into the Land of Fire, and a few people in several port towns and trading hubs were following it. Still, she did not understand why the High Priest was here, looking for Tsunade. She also did not understand how he could be so young and so…

Attractive?

Was it wrong to consider a child attractive?

"Well… what do you want?"

The boy smiled. "I require your services as a tutor, and perhaps, as a medic."

Tsunade snorted. "I'm retired. Find someone else."

"Oh? I was not aware that retirement was an option in your line of work," the boy said amicably, "Nor was I aware that you could retire at thirty-eight years old."

A thick tension immediately entered the air. Shizune glanced back from the boy to Tsunade, who seemed to be sobering up rapidly, especially after the boy casually tossed her age into the air.

"Don't you know it's rude to mention a lady's age… brat?" She said with an all too familiar 'smile.'

"My religion advocates for gender equity. I do not see the need for such archaic beliefs." The boy was smiling back.

"Cute." She said dryly. "Come on Shizune, we're leaving. I don't like a bar that allows people who haven't grown pubic hair yet to enter."

"Ah, I am afraid that is not possible." The boy said, far too cheerfully, and his bodyguard moved to block her path.

The tension in the bar grew. Tsunade turned her attention to the man. "Ronin… Land of Iron… if you want to ensure that all your bones are still in place… you'll get out of my way."

" **Enough**."

It was like a physical burst of _air_ rushed forth from the small boy, and Shizune barely stopped herself from gasping at the sensation of it. It was like killing intent, except, it worked in the inverse. While killing intent manifested in the dread and fear that came with one's intent to kill, this pressure was the opposite, it provided a cheerful, hopeful, fulfilling and enriching air that rocked her body like a wave of pleasure. It was like a beacon of light in the dark, a raging bonfire in the middle of the ocean, a ray of sparkling sunlight in a thunderstorm –

It compelled her to listen. To turn her attention to the boy, to pay rapt attention to his words. It made her mind hazy and clear at the same time, and it made her _desire_ him –

Tsunade on the other hand stepped back, her eyes wide, her brow slowly lining with sweat.

"I attempted to do this cordially, extending the olive branch, but if that method is not available due to your stubbornness, I have no choice but to extend the cane."

He reached into his robes, making Shizune and Tsunade on edge for a second, before he brought out a piece of paper.

"As of today, I have purchased all your debts. All of them. Every penny you owe to everyone you have ever lost or gambled to. Unless you are capable of paying me back this sum _here_ _and now_ , then I essentially _own_ you."

Tsunade bristled. "You little –"

She reached for him, only to stop when a flash of light caught her attention. Her hand drew back and Shizune watched as one of Tsunade's long fingernails fell to the floor. The apprentice was confused, lost, as it appeared to her as though Tsunade's nail had magically snapped in half of its own accord. It was until she turned to the bodyguard, and realized he was _sheathing_ his blade.

"I would appreciate it if you refrained from touching my employer, Tsunade." The man's voice was gruff and chilled. "Next time, my blade may take more than a fingernail."

 _Fast_.

Shizune swallowed nervously. She'd never noticed him _move_ , yet alone get into a stance, draw his blade and attack. All she'd seen was a small flash and that was it. If this samurai wanted to kill her, he could have done it without her even knowing what happened.

This was a solid A-Rank enemy. Someone that Konoha's elite, Kakashi and Gai, would have some trouble taking out. Shizune, for all her training, could not boast of being that skilled.

Tsunade seemed to realize it as well. This was not someone she could fight and expect to have an easy victory. She had not been in combat for a long while, she was rusty, she still had alcohol in her system, and she had never been very good against swordsmen. Super strength was meaningless when your enemy could slice your hand in half as you threw the first punch. In this case, with the samurai's casual demonstration of speed, it was more likely than ever that he would slice her hand _before_ she threw the first punch.

"I do not wish to be your enemy," the boy said, with what seemed like genuine _tiredness_ in his voice "All I want from you are three things. Three, simple things – and then I will leave you be and wipe your debts permanently clean."

She scoffed. "You expect me to believe that? Do you have any idea how much you're talking about here?"

"You do not have a choice," the boy, said. "If you cannot pay, and if you refuse my offer, I can legally take any property that you own as collateral. If you are still unable to pay afterwards, I am within my rights to provide an indenture by which, over an agreed period of time, you pay off your debts."

"You mean you're allowed to _enslave_ me." She spat.

"There is the alternative." The boy said. "As you are a shinobi, I can have you killed and turn in your bounty."

The room went colder.

"But!" he clapped his hands, bringing back the warmth "I would like to avoid that. But – because I am a fair person, I will allow you a sporting chance to free yourself from any of this."

"A chance?"

"A game of one, to be precise." He said, shrugging. "Pick any gambling center and any gamble of your choice. If you win against me, I clear all your debts permanently and leave you be. And if I win, you agree to my three demands – no ifs, buts, or maybes."

Shizune couldn't believe her ears. She whipped her head to Tsunade and it looked like she couldn't believe her ears either.

"Why…?" she said slowly "You have nothing to gain and everything to lose. You could just _make_ me listen to your demands."

"I _could_ ," he admitted. "But that would be close to blackmail and coercion by force. As a man of the cloth… it leaves a _sour_ taste in my mouth." He gave a smile. "Also, I would not want to do something so cruel to one of the most beautiful women I have ever met."

Tsunade snorted. Though, there was faint amusement on her lips. "Flattery will get you nowhere brat."

"Oh, you seem to be mistaken. I was not talking about you."

He pointed his finger towards Shizune's direction.

"I meant her."

Shizune's face turned from one of shock, to one of embarrassed mortification in seconds, glowing red like a painted tomato. "E-e-e-eh?! M-M-Me?"

"Truly," the boy continued, slowly turning his attention away from Tsunade, much to the older woman's disbelieving gaze and moving towards her. "You have the purest and most patient soul I have ever seen. It radiates – beautiful. Too beautiful. Had I been born earlier, I would not hesitate to court you with the intention of marriage."

"M-m-m-m-arri –"

"Oh knock off it Shizune, if a boy half your age is reducing you to a stuttering wreck, I'm worried for what it means for your future."

The boy, turned back to her and frowned.

"Just because you have failed at love, does not mean you must prevent others from succeeding at it."

" _What?_ " she hissed.

He sighed. "Do you know why I said she is beautiful?" he asked, pointing to Shizune, "Here, is a girl, who follows you on your travels. She does so with no expectation of any grand reward except but to learn what little she can from you. She most likely takes care of you more than you take care of her. She has forfeited a life of stability in the most wealthy and prosperous Hidden Village in the world, in exchange for constant travel, running away from debtors, and picking her drunk mentor off the floor night after night. She has traded a chance at a successful career for being the apprentice of a failed Sannin. She has sacrificed a chance at romance to care for a woman who lost her loves. And what, exactly does she earn for all of this? What appreciation is shown to someone with such a sacrificial soul? For someone who can sacrifice her life attempting to pick up the broken shards of someone else's?"

No one spoke. Tsunade's face seemed almost ashen. Shizune's face further grew mortified.

"How do you – how can you –" Tsunade stammered.

" **I am the Shepherd**."

Unlike when he had said it before, now, there was a weight to it. His voice _commanded_ authority, respect, adoration, adulation – his very form seemed to shimmer and glow, his eyes, sparkling, his stature, upright, like nobility – like a king and more.

"I am drawn to pure souls. I am drawn to beautiful people. And your apprentice, Tsunade of the Sannin – has more beauty in her fingernails than you will ever possess in your entire lifetime."

He spun around, and then turned towards the door.

"Now, shall we proceed to our gamble, or perhaps, you wish to run from this as well?"

* * *

= **Son of G=**

* * *

The gambling match did not hold.

It was as I expected, cutting Tsunade down to size had whittled away what little defiance she held. I wasn't Naruto who would barge in with brute stubbornness and remind her of Nawaki, but I was, however, someone who could point out the flaw in her behavior via proxy. As a benefit, I _did_ consider Shizune to be fairly attractive, and I honestly despised how she was delegated to the role of a side-character of no import despite being the major grounding force in Tsunade's life. Honestly, during Pain's attack, I'd been more upset about Shizune dying than I was about Kakashi. Of course, ret-con no jutsu made it so she came back. I'd do my best to make sure she was alive and _stayed_ alive.

"Tell me what you want and make it quick."

She was still sour about the whole thing, and perhaps still deep in thought about the sheer selfishness of her behavior. She hadn't been able to look her apprentice in the eye after what I said, and I doubted that would change anytime soon. For now, we had retired to an abandoned clearing, and I had allowed Kitami to stay behind, meaning that it was just her and me here to finalize discussions.

"I want to learn how to perform your transformation."

"What?"

"The solid transformation which makes you appear younger. I require it."

"It's not a solid–"

"Do you wish for me to grope your breasts in order to prove you wrong?"

"Only if you want to lose your hands brat."

I sighed. "It's a solid transformation that uses far less chakra than the standard shinobi Henge, yet at the same time, it is sturdier and nigh-impossible to be broken unless the user loses all their chakra and is on the verge of death. Please do not bother lying or covering it up – I have the ability to instantly detect lies."

Not a _complete_ lie, but a partial one.

Tsunade gave me what seemed like a contemplative look. "Why do you want to learn it?"

"I am not interested in the clandestine activities of you shinobi, and no, I do not want to use it to invade foreign villages, I am a _priest_. I want to use it so people like you will stop looking down at me and calling me _brat_."

Partial lies, and partial truths.

"And yes, I know how to use chakra. Yes, I have perfect chakra control." I said snappily. "Now, if there is anything else?"

Appearing irritated to add a hint of truth. People are often irritated and upset about what they perceive as an attack on their insecurities. They become defensive. Closed off. Judging by Tsunade's eventual reaction, she had assumed that was the case.

Gods, the people in this world were far too easy to manipulate, even without S-Rank **Charisma**. Of course, I had 'future knowledge' to help me create character profiles and pick apart their weaknesses, but still – _give me a challenge._

"Alright bra – kid. And the second thing?"

I hummed.

"I need you to run a full diagnostic scan on someone in my care. A Kaguya. Due to his unique physiology, I need to make sure there isn't anything wrong with him."

Finding and preventing whatever illness would eventually kill Kimimaro had to be done _now._ Now, before he started manifesting signs later on. Kabuto had tried his best in canon to heal him, but had failed, and as much as I disliked the snake's shadow, there was no denying the fact that he had been an _extremely_ skilled medic. Second only to Tsunade herself. If he couldn't find a cure when the disease was that far gone, I was absolutely certain that Tsunade could identify it and prevent it from ever getting that far.

"Fine. And the _last_ thing?"

"I am keeping it in reserve as a favor."

She glared at me. "What?"

I shot her an awkward smile. "A single favor from Tsunade of the Sannin could come in handy in the future. It would be unwise of me to throw that away. Who knows? Maybe one day you could be the Hokage."

She barked out a laugh. "Fat chance of that ever happening."

I shrugged. Perhaps she would be, perhaps she would not be. Still, it was wise to keep that final favor in hand.

"Alright – let's get this done. The sooner I teach you and heal your friend, the sooner I never get to see your face again."

"My, Tsunade-sama, such harsh words for a man of the cloth? What would your dear grandfather say?"

My response was a scroll slamming into my face.

* * *

 **~~~~~~~~~#Son of Gato**

* * *

 **Year Five – Month Three, Day 30**

Six days was all it took.

Six days for me to grasp the technique, and six days for Tsunade to follow us back to the SS Gatebreaker and run a full diagnostic scan on Kimimaro. Shizune seemed to have taken a shine to Haku, and I spotted the older girl teaching the younger one the basics of using needles and senbon, while also preaching heartily about benefits of medical ninjutsu and poisons. It was not a meeting I ever expected to see, but, I could tell that it would be good for Haku's growth and arsenal.

As it turned out, I was right about Kimimaro's illness. Something that terminal had apparently started off very early, but had gone unnoticed for years. The specific medical terminology flew over my head, but all I knew was that Kimimaro's bloodline which enabled the hardening of bones and the ability to create new ones had given him something akin to inverse-osteoporosis. Ah, but of course, the best medic in the world was on the job, and thankfully, there was no blood present, so her fear of blood did not kick in.

"Calcium. You need significant amounts of calcium and Vitamin D. As you grow, the cartilage in your bones grows. Over time, it slowly gets replaced by bone with the help of calcium. This is called ossification. Layer upon layer of calcium and phosphate salts accumulate on cartilage cells and – and you don't understand any of this. Fine – just – consume these calcium supplements. Two in the morning, afternoon and evening. Take five after heavy combat, or if you have used your bloodline extensively. I would also recommend blood pills and soldier pills – your physiology will enable you to practically eat a gallon of the stuff without much harm. Some additional dietary supplements should also be included –"

At the end of it, I felt vaguely satisfied with this deal.

We stood off to the side, as our time together came to an end. The SS Gatebreaker was in the distance once more, and Kitami stood by my side as me met Tsunade and Shizune at a crossroads. They didn't have Tonton yet, strange enough, but there was still time.

"I'm not sure whether I should be happy or annoyed at finding someone whose chakra control is as perfect as mine, yet, he has no intention of becoming a medical nin." She said with a hint of light-hearted annoyance. "And someone who learns techniques so quickly too. If you weren't a priest and didn't have such pitiful reserves, I'd be wary of you."

I smiled. "And it has been a pleasure, learning from you as well Tsunade of the Sannin."

 **From being tutored by a master of a special technique, you have unlocked a new skill and jutsu –**

 **Grand Transformation (Active/Passive) Lv. 68**

"Alright. Might as well see what you're going to be looking like from now on." She said casually. "Go on, show me."

Handsigns were for pansies who needed a proxy to manipulate their chakra. I did not. The benefit of having such little chakra and perfect control, meant I could use it as I wished once I had the basic internal knowledge of it.

I made a mental note to always do this technique away from the sights of Haku and Kimimaro, as it would be far more impressive, and it would be best if they did not know I had learned it from Tsunade. Anything that would add more to my 'intrigue' as it were.

So, I let the chakra wash over my skin, enveloping it and grasping to it so tightly, that it felt as though I was wearing a skin tight suit. Then, it felt as though the suit expanded, and my body seemed to expand with it, filling up the space. I didn't need to look _significantly_ older, I just needed to look _old enough_. Hence, I grew, and grew, becoming taller and shooting past my previous height. I willed my hair to grow longer, and slowly, but certainly, it obeyed. Eventually, I could feel the transformation complete.

The clearing was silent.

"Well?" I asked. "As I do not have a mirror on me – tell me how I look."

It wasn't necessary, of course. Although I was attractive on my own, I was still of Gato's blood, and that would mean that I wouldn't ever change certain aspects of my appearance bar facial reconstruction surgery. In contrast, the ideal image I'd put in my head when undergoing the transformation was 'Priest-Shirou-with-long-black-hair.' If Shizune's heavy breathing and bright red face was any indication, and Tsunade's slightly tinted cheeks – I could tell that I had succeeded to an extent.

"… are you planning on ruining marriages and tempting princesses?" Tsunade said with what sounded like irritation and annoyance in her voice.

"Coming from someone with the largest pairs of breasts in the world?" I mused silently. "In any case – how old would you estimate me to be?"

She looked me over. "Seventeen – maybe eighteen or nineteen."

I beamed. "Perfect."

"H-here," Shizune offered, and I smiled at the mirror.

"Thank you." She merely nodded, seemingly not trusting her voice.

I looked into the mirror and –

I blinked.

My long black hair was filled with white streaks and was perfectly braided into a long strand that stopped at my waist. My previously dull dark eyes had turned an enchanting gold. My skin was slightly more tanned than was customary of people who grew up in the Land of Water, and my face – it was eerily closer to looking like Gilgamesh than like Shirou who I'd envisioned. If of course, Gilgamesh had long, braided black hair with white streaks and possessed golden eyes. I had a feeling my S-Rank **Charisma** had a hand to do with this, although I did not know how or why.

But – I had abs and muscles.

Fake abs and muscles, but they were abs and muscles nonetheless, and I was vain enough to accept they felt fantastically good.

"I believe this is where we part ways," I said with a formal bow, and god damn did it feel good to be able to look people in the eye without having to look _up_ to them. "In time, I feel, you will eventually come around to see the ways of the Divine."

Tsunade merely snorted, turning around. Shizune however, bowed as well, giving me a once over.

"I-it was nice meeting you, Gat-san."

I watched as they departed from us, slowly becoming tiny specks in the distant horizon.

"Gat-sama…" Kitami began, once both Sannin and apprentice were far out of sight "…Did you really wipe clean the Sannin's debt in exchange for three simple favors?"

I snorted. "Do you take me for a fool Kitami? Of course I didn't. I need more than just 'good faith' and 'favors' to run a business and a religion. Though, it was best for her to _think_ that I did."

Kitami let out what sounded like a sigh of relief. "For a minute Gat-sama, I had almost believed you had grown soft."

"Why I'd never –" I said exaggeratedly, clutching my chest. "I just needed to make the young apprentice liked me. She's a cute one."

I turned around, meeting Kitami at eye level, and again, _it felt soooo good._

"You are enjoying being tall aren't you Gat-sama?"

"Yes. Yes I am." I said cheekily.

I spun once more on my heels, and set my map for a new destination.

"Now Kitami, we head to the Fire Daimyo's court. I believe it's time the Land of Fire…" I grinned.

"Meets the Shepherd."


	9. A Shepherd to a King

**Ah... back to this story. Alright - let's see how we can bring this fucker up to a 100k words! Woo!**

* * *

 **Year Five – Month Four, Day Two**

I'd never actually believed that there was such a thing as being _too_ good-looking.

I mean, logically speaking, it made no sense for someone to be attractive beyond normal human limits. But even if someone _were_ , there would be no real downsides to such a thing. Surely, it wasn't like the Justin Bieber's or Ariana Grande's of the world would face any sort of _challenge_ from being too attractive. I mean, _surely_ , people would recognize their physical attractiveness, and give them due regard, but nothing else… right?

"S-Shepherd-sama! P-Please – t-there is a demon – a demon burning my chest!"

"Ah! Shepherd-sama – the demon is under my skirt –"

"Shepherd-sama – no – it's _inside me_ –"

I did my best to maintain a 'saintly' smile in lieu of the horde of women who stood in front of me – all ranging from twelve year old girls to married women who looked well past forty. The horde of women surrounded me on all sides, making me unable to move, or to leave, leaving me smothered in everything from well-developed breasts, to underdeveloped chests.

Kitami – the bastard – I spotted him standing, not too far away, doing his best not to die from laughter at my situation.

 _Traitor!_ I mouthed at him.

He laughed even harder.

The problem was, there wasn't much he could do in this situation, he knew it, and I knew it as well. Attempting to break up the crowd would cause him to inappropriately touch the women, which would then bring upon righteous female fury. Using more violent methods than strictly demanded would not show myself in a good light, as these women weren't angry, violent attackers, they were adoring, but slightly overzealous 'fans.'

All of this was a result of my **Grand Transformation** which made me looked like a tanned Gilgamesh with golden eyes and long, black hair. I also had a sneaking suspicion that my **S-Rank Charisma** was also making things worse.

It never occurred to me when I was in front of Tsunade and Shizune, that I now projected an air and appeal that was _too_ good – and the only reason the two women hadn't immediately tried ripping off my clothes was because they were shinobi, and thus, slightly more resistant to my allure and **Charisma** than a normal civilian.

But to these normal civilian women?

I shuddered as my gaze landed on one of the girls, panting, sweaty, shamelessly drooling and I could have sworn to the Divine that her pupils had been replaced with glowing pink hearts.

She looked as though she was a shy step away from ripping off my clothes, and there was a _hunger_ in her eyes that sent shivers down my spine, telling me that if I cared for my manhood, I would run, I would run and never stop running.

Never in my wildest dreams had I believed this would be a problem. Never would I have thought, that having a group of women desperately wanting to get into my pants would _not_ be the fantasy I desired. But more than that, never did I think I would find myself in a situation where _I had absolutely no idea what to do._

For bloody fucks sakes, I faced down _Orochimaru of the Sannin_ and still knew what to say in order to keep my head on my neck. Yet, against a horde of females – I didn't have the slightest clue what to do –

I blinked…

 _Or… did I?_

" **Ladies** ," I spoke, putting as much _power_ and authority behind that voice as I could. A little bit of **Killing Intent Emission** aided me, and all the women went silent. "I am pleased with how devout you all seem to be. However, my heart, it aches."

All of them seemed to gasp in horror.

"Why?"

"No! Shepherd-sama why does your heart ache?"

"What can we do Shepherd-sama?"

I smiled. "My heart aches, because I fear that none of you are truly loyal to the Divine. I fear, that all you see before you, is this gifted physical form – and that is all you want from me."

There was silence, but then the denials and rebuttals came pouring in. Like a young man who had just been called out on only wanting to get into a girl's pants – all of them gave token denials.

"No Shepherd-sama!"

"We – wouldn't!"

"We truly care for you Shepherd-sama!"

I clapped.

"Then," I declared, "If you truly care for me, you will care for the Divine even more. You will become the most devout of devout – you will believe with all your hearts, your souls, and your minds… and as you grow closer to the Divine… the Shepherd shall grow closer to you."

I let my gaze linger on all of them.

"The most devout of you, who truly believes – she shall be the Shepherd's favorite, an innocent lamb, who shall be caressed, loved, and carefully _tendered_ – every single nook and cranny, enjoying heavenly bliss."

I heard a series of loud moans, and watched as some women's eyes rolled into the back of their heads.

I promptly ignored it.

"So, which one of you, can I call, the Shepherd's favorite? Which one of you, is closest to the Divine?"

The message was clear. A lot of the women turned to gaze at each other, conviction in their eyes. I said nothing else, and watched as they all left, a new, burning fervor in their eyes. Those who were slow on the uptake took a while longer, but even then, they realized what was required of them.

 _Prove yourself to the Shepherd – and he shall be yours._

Once all the women were gone, I let out an immediate, loud sigh of relief, even as I heard Kitami's slow, diligent clapping. I flicked my gaze up to him, grinding my teeth.

"Not one word Kitami. Not. One. Word."

The bodyguard respectfully shrugged. "I knew you'd handle it. Although, I have to say, I'm surprised."

"Yeah, me too – I really didn't think this through. I'm tempted to drop the transformation if this keeps up."

"No, not that." Kitami said, shaking his head. "I meant I'm surprised at you."

"At me?" I quirked an eyebrow "Why?"

"A large group of women threw themselves at you, all of them so blinded by lust that they would sell their underage daughters and slit their husband's throats if it meant they could sleep with you." He explained, "And you just... refused them. All of them."

"I have high standards Kitami." I replied succinctly. "I'm also _held_ to high standards. My religion isn't established enough for me to go around having orgies and daily sex parties without repercussion. Word travels, and I'll be declared a leader of a 'sex cult' which would ruin a significant amount of my plans."

The bodyguard stared at me.

"If I had sex with all of them, I'd have to kill all of them… and burn down this little village – and kill everyone in it. Which, I think – is far too much work for something as trifling as sex."

He kept staring, and I felt myself getting annoyed.

"Is there something you would like to say?"

"So, you're abstaining… because of your religion."

I immediately realized why he looked so amused, and I couldn't stop the heat that ran to my cheeks.

"Don't make it sound like I'm _actually_ some sort of eunuch! It's more complicated than that –"

"Of course, Gat-sama." Kitami said immediately. "But, I have to know, are you also going to shave your head and carry a shakujou as well?"

"… Screw you, Kitami."

* * *

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Son of G

* * *

 **Year Five – Month Four, Day Three**

"This place is… huge."

I could not help the surprise and the excitement that spurn from within me, as I approached the Capital of Hi no Kuni, the Land of Fire. The gates were large, toll-gate like structures which were manned and guarded by a Samurai-workforce. I had yet to enter the city itself, but at the same time, the toll-gate structures spoke volumes of the size of the city – that, and the large walls which extended to the west and east, easily reaching at least twenty… twenty-five feet? They were _large_ , and I meant _Attack on Titan_ level large. Honestly, I never expected to see such large structures in the world of Naruto, particularly due to the anachronistic nature of the world.

Then again, a vast amount of the world was either unexplored, or glossed over. There was so much culture and history which I had no idea about. For instance, the fact that these walls were one of the reasons why The Land of Fire had yet to ever be felled by an invader, and so far, this country had yet to lose a war.

"Alright! Alright! No clogging up the lines! Immigrations to the left! Traders and cargo to the right! Visitors front and center!" A samurai barked out "Have your papers, identification and other documents out and ready. No delays – no cutting the lines – and no funny business. If we detect even a _whiff_ of any funny business – you can expect a five-star, all-expense paid trip to the city's prison cells."

I rolled my eyes. "A real charmer, that one."

Kitami and I moved down the center line, and I smiled politely at the man in front of me.

"Excuse me, but would you mind if I and my bodyguard cut in front of you?"

The portly, round man in front of me turned around, clearly about to rattle off something insulting, only to stop as he got a good look at my face.

"A-ah – of course – not a problem."

I smiled. "Thank you very much."

Gods, being handsome was like playing life on easy mode. I didn't even _need_ to use my **Charisma**.

"Excuse me, but would you mind if I and my bodyguard cut in front of you?"

I did this repeatedly, on and on I went, and if the Samurai saw me, they either seemed not to care or mind, as within a couple of minutes, Kitami and I went from being the last on the line, to being the first. To my surprise, the attendant was not a samurai, but rather, a young attractive woman, who had her face kept down as she seemed to organize a great deal and number of different files and folders.

"Welcome to Moeru – Capital City of the Hi no Kuni, home of the Daimyo and Imperial Nobilities." She said in a clearly rehearsed and overwhelmingly worn out tone. "Kindly hand over your papers, and state your reason for visiting."

It took me less than a fraction of a second to bring out blank papers from my inventory, before utilizing my **Falsification** skill. Within the span of a full second, the blank papers were now filled with information, which I promptly handed over to the woman, before speaking.

"I am here to see the Daimyo."

I said with a calm, cheery tone.

The woman glanced at my papers, her face scrunching up in confusion, before she heard my voice and then snapped her attention up to me. Dilated pupils, slightly expanded nostrils, widening of the eyes, raising of the eyebrows, rushing of blood to the cheeks – I ticked off all the symptoms with amusement.

"Ah – I-I'm sorry – your papers… it says your name is Shepherd?"

"I am _the_ Shepherd." I corrected, allowing a charming smile and inwardly looking in amusement at the woman's increasingly reddening face "I am the religious leader of Gatoism, and an agent of the Divine. But I suppose you may also call me, _Gat_."

"O-of course…" she said, breathing slightly harder than before, "Ah – you – you said you're here to see the Daimyo? Is he expecting you?"

I leaned forward. "Tell me, _Koku_ , what do you think?"

She blushed harder, and I could tell that she was surprised. "H-how do you know my name?"

 _Because I can see it floating over your head_. "Because I am the Shepherd Koku. What kind of Shepherd, does not know the name of the sheep in his flock?"

"B-b-but I'm not –" she stammered.

I shushed her. "You _are_ , my child. You are in my flock." I tilted my head, "Or, do you not want to be?"

"Y-yes – I m-mean no – I mean – er – I – I –"

"Do not worry, my child," I said in a reassuring tone "You are merely confused for now. But – I can cure your confusion, I can cure _all_ your problems… I can lead you, to a higher existence." I smiled at her. "If, of course, you will allow me – if, you will grant me access, to _all_ of you."

If she became any redder, I knew that steam would start pouring out of her ears. I almost laughed at how fun this was.

"But, first – business, Koku. I need to enter the city, and to see the Daimyo. Once I am done –"

"A-a-ah o-of course!" she stuttered, before trying to calm down her flustered self as she stamped our papers, paying almost no heed to the information on them.

I felt my lips twitch as I saw her stamp it **V.I.P.** with a gold-branded stamp. My lips did twitch when she searched for something, and immediately brought out what looked to a small gold token item, with a string attached.

"T-this is for very important visitors to the city – s-so they can be i-identified."

I smiled. "Thank you, Koku."

She nodded meekly. "E-enjoy y-your stay in the Moeru, S-Shepherd-sama."

I tilted my head towards her, before walking past the gate, putting on the gold-token, and flashing the papers to the Samurai guarding the final entrance.

Both bowed, before stepping aside.

"Welcome to Moeru, Shepherd-sama."

I grinned.

"Welcome indeed."

* * *

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Son of Gato ~~~~~~~~

* * *

In a beautifully designed room of rich Konohan wood, several figures stood. Extravagant wealth displayed itself not in the environment, courtesy of the traditional minimalistic tendencies of the Japanese, but rather, it displayed itself on the soul and body. The bodies of those in the room, particularly the females, were beautifully adorned in colorful kimonos, completely covering their bodies, yet, paradoxically, making them all the more alluring from the slight flashes of skin that showed from their legs or cleavage.

Female faces were painted white, the chalky visage standing in contrast to the rich dark colors of eyebrows, the thick red aesthetics of their lipsticks and the hearty pink of their blushes. Their skin was flawless, devoid of any and all blemishes that would otherwise mar their feminine features. Their hairdos were uniform. Black, tied up in a single bun, and being held in place by customary traditional sticks.

The women, an entourage of beauties that would not be out of place in a world-class geisha house, stood. Lined up, they were servants. Their goals and duties were to cater to the wishes of the nobility, it was all they knew, and arguably, all they would ever know.

Behind them still, cloaked in an expensive set of armor that had me pursing my lips, narrowing my eyebrows, and examining for weaknesses and flaws, were the samurai. The Daimyo's Army. An elite force of warriors supposedly several hundred thousand strong. There were more men in his army than they were shinobi in the Land of Fire.

To heighten their visage of being nothing more than tools in service of their lord, they wore masks. It reminded me of the warriors of Yunkai, from a Tomb Raider game I played in my previous life. 'Oni Masks' I believed they were called. Whatever little understanding of Japanese culture I possessed was unable to tell me if the existence of these masks was historically factual and accurate, of if it was merely another unexplained anachronistic feature of this world I intended to conquer.

Aside from the samurai, and the geisha maids which blatantly screamed of wealth and elegance, there were another set of people here. There were only two of them present for now, with their identifying white sashes, I prevented my lips from twitching as I gazed upon the son of the professor, and his monk friend.

 **Sarutobi Asuma**

 **Twelve Guardian Ninja**

 **Chiriku**

 **Twelve Guardian Ninja**

Two shinobi, six samurai, and eight geisha. I counted them all in total, before my gaze spun around and eventually landed on the man sitting on the large, comfortable woolen-looking chair in the room. It was the _only_ chair in the room, and even then, it was more of a large pillow than a chair. Yet, it served, unofficially, to portray the idea that _he_ was the ruler here.

I refused to let my lips twitch.

"You stand before the Lord of the Land of Fire, the Daimyo of the Blazing Lands, the Leader of the Forests, Groomer of Leaves," I almost wanted to snort, especially as I looked at the male servant who rattled off a significant amount of useless, vainglorious titles to a thin, portly looking man.

"Daimyo Shijimi Hokora!"

The man sitting in place was exactly as I remembered him from the end of the series. Plain, ordinary looking. In a world of beauty and splendor, the man who ruled the lands of the wealthy was as fascinating as wet cardboard. He was enamored in robes which spoke of high-maintenance and care, which alluded more to the capability of his servants than to his own efforts.

A part of me wished Kitami stood beside me, so that I would have at least gained the satisfaction of seeing my bodyguard try and fail to hide his disbelief at the cup of rice that was the leader of the wealthiest country in the elemental nations. Unfortunately, Kitami had not been allowed inside with me, to entertain the Daimyo. A samurai of the Land of Iron was both feared and respected, and they had decided to apply caution when dealing with him.

It took me less than a fraction of a second to realize that everyone was expecting me to immediately bow, or show some sort of deference to the man.

I smiled.

 **FUCK THAT!**

I unleashed the full brunt of my **Charisma** , and it descended upon the room like the backhanded slap of a titan. I focused it on the Daimyo in front of me, yet, the shockwaves spread and I watched as eyes collectively widened, people visibly staggered, others sharply inhaled, and all – all of them turned their eyes upon me.

To _think_ for even a second that these people had wanted me to _bow_ , to _bow_ , to a man whose existence was less trifling than the bacteria that accumulates on the feet of mites – they wanted _ME_ , to bow to _him?_

 _I,_ who had used my Charisma to make men claw and bite themselves to death, was supposed to defer to _him?_

As if.

"I am the Shepherd."

I spoke, loudly, clearly, ensuring that my voice cut across the silent and awestruck room like a bolt of lightning streaking across a midnight sky.

I was no longer in the form of a small child courtesy of **Grand Transformation** , which meant, people no longer underestimated me. This was a double-edged sword now, as now, I was merely a rather _highly attractive_ young man. My long braided hair and golden eyes would draw immense looks, but it wouldn't _stick_ in their minds that I was something else. Something _more_. It wouldn't stick until I exuded my **S-Rank Charisma** and brought them all, literally and metaphorically to their knees.

Just as I did now.

The women, all of them, were on their knees, completely enthralled by my power. The men were struggling on their feet, and even Asuma and Chiriku were not immune. As it was, neither of them were **S-Rank** yet – neither of them were capable of resisting the allure of my power.

And the Daimyo?

The Daimyo of the Land of Fire?

The man who had an army at his beck and call?

The man who was the _boss_ of every single Konohan Shinobi?

He was on his _face_.

 _Shaking_.

"Daimyo-sama!"

"Daimyo-sama!"

"You fiend!"

A number of blades all appeared around my neck. Two, I recognized as being Asuma's trench knives. The rest, I realized, were spears and swords by the guards.

"You –" Asuma stared at me, and I could tell, I could tell he was having trouble looking me straight into my eyes. "What did you do the Daimyo?" he hissed.

"Nothing." I said simply, and allowed a longer smile on my face. "But you – you felt it as well did you not, Son of Hiruzen?"

Asuma flinched. Whether it was from calling out the fact that I knew who he was, or from pointing out that he had felt my **Charisma**.

"I am the Shepherd. I am the one slated to bring an end to misery, to suffering, to chaos and death and destruction. I serve the Divine, and I am blessed by his gifts." I said, uncaring to the numerous weapons on my throat.

"Those who are unholy, tainted, arrogant – they will look upon me and despair. Their eyes will be blinded. Their bodies will be overcome by a monstrous flame, and they will scream for salvation." I said softly, "It seems to have been the case with the Daimyo."

The blade on my throat dug in, slowly. "You expect me to believe that?" Asuma scowled.

I turned to him and looked at him in amusement. "You believe tales of massive beasts of chakra, of men walking on water and summoning lightning from the skies. Yet, you question the veracity of the Divine?"

"That is because we know how those men do such things, Shepherd-san," Chiriku, spoke up, his eyes narrowed at me. "Chakra enables for miraculous feats."

I turned my gaze to the man, stretching my arms as much as I could despite being surrounded.

"Then you be the judge, monk. Tell me, do you sense the use of Chakra?"

There, right there, was the brilliance in my plan. The fortunate and unfortunate truth – I had abysmal chakra. As it stood, I was only five years old in this world, and my chakra levels were laughable for a five-year old civilian. There was no doubt that a five-year old Sakura would have more chakra than I possessed.

However, these people didn't know I was only five years old, and they didn't know my current adult form was a transformation. So, they would be judging my supposed chakra worth based on what someone my age, someone 18-19 years of age should possess.

Both Chiriku and Asuma seemed to have realized it in one moment, their eyes both going wide.

"You have… almost no chakra. It's… it's…"

"It's the weakest chakra I've ever seen." Asuma said, furrowing his eyebrows. "Hell, there are _children_ with more chakra than you."

I smiled once more.

"I have no need for it. All I have need for… is the Divine."

I stretched my arms, and now – I _exuded_ the **Charisma** as a slow, steady, wave.

"Fear not, for your Daimyo is unharmed. Is he not?"

I called loudly, and everyone's attentions snapped back to the man, who slowly rose from his position, a bit uneasily.

"Y-yes… I – I am fine."

"Daimyo-sama! Are you alright?"

The maids immediately rushed to his side, trying to provide him with all sorts of comforts, checking and fawning on him like a child. I almost snorted at the display. I remembered from the anime, and from canon, that the Daimyo was actually a rather weak man. He was fickle and indecisive, being easily swayed by whoever could provide him with the easiest solution to a problem. He allowed his advisors to do all the work for him, and then, he took the credit and implemented whichever one sounded sweetest to his ears.

The very fact that his wife, Madame Shijimi was a fat, bloated whale of a spendthrift was just another deciding factor proving that that the Daimyo possessed very little backbone.

"I – I must admit, I was not expecting such… such…"

"Such is the power of the Divine," I interrupted loudly, allowing a smile to grace my lips. "As his champion, as the Shepherd, he granted me his blessings. I apologize, if the Divine's power caught you off-guard."

The Daimyo blinked. "Ah… yes… yes…" he turned to his guards, "What do you think you are doing? Raising your weapons to a holy man? Release him at once!"

The Samurai obeyed immediately. In contrast, the Guardian Shinobi were reluctant to do so, and I turned my gaze upon Asuma, watching as the young man shuddered uneasily from staring into them.

"You cannot fault them, Daimyo-sama, after all, it is their job to protect you at all costs, and they will do their jobs to save you from all that they perceive as threats. You are lucky to have such truly loyal protectors."

I smiled at amusement at the duo, and I knew that they were uneasy. I couldn't blame them. My **Charisma** possessed a lulling effect not entirely unlike mind-control, and their honed shinobi senses must have been working on overdrive. They wanted to be relaxed around me, but the very fact that they wanted to be relaxed around me made them be the exact opposite.

"Ah… yes, that is indeed true. I am grateful to have my Twelve Guardian Ninja."

I tilted my head in faux ignorance. "Twelve? I see only two present."

"Ah, some of them are with my wife, and the rest are with other members of my family at the moment. They decided to take a trip to Konohagakure for the meanwhile."

I rose an eyebrow. "Oh? And your advisors, Daimyo-sama?"

"They were working too hard. I let them go on a break, just yesterday."

My lip was twitching.

The Daimyo's Advisors, as well as all his other guardians, were all occupied or unavailable, on the day I had _chosen_ to come and see him?

My **Luck** stat was beginning to show its merit.

Were his advisors present, this meeting would not have held. Most likely, a lot of them would be immune, or would be capable of countering my S-Rank **Charisma**. They would be shrewd, calculating, and it would have spelt for an unsavory fate if they did not like what I had to offer.

Even getting this audience itself was something of a strange miracle. Kitami and I had all but sauntered through the front gate, before encountering one of the servants of the place who immediately granted me an audience with the Daimyo.

Protocols be damned, waiting list be screwed, and everything else was thrust to the side in favor of things going my way.

Was this the true power of A-Rank **Luck** when used in collaboration with S-Rank **Charisma**?

"So, might I know what a holy man such as yourself requires from me?"

For the umpteenth time in one day:

I smiled.

* * *

 **~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Son of Gato ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~**

* * *

 **Management Panel**

Gato Shipping Company – Level 2

 **You have attained an [Immersive] Trade Contract with the Land of Fire!**

 **You are now [Amicable] with the Land of Fire!**

 **The Land of Fire and The Land of Water are now [Trading]!**

 **The Land of Water is now supplied with: Konohan Timber, Spices, Grains, Wood and Iron**

 **The Land of Fire is now supplied with Seafood, Fish, Furs, [Promised Item], [Promised Item].**

 **You have also attained:**

 **[Building Contracts]**

 **[Transportation Contracts]**

 **[Land Contracts]**

 **Daimyo's Seal of Approval**

 **Daimyo's Decree**

 **Permanent Residence in Daimyo's Compound**

 **Permanent Mansion in Moeru – Capital of the Fire Country**

 **New Industrial Constructions Can Be Developed!**

I maintained a mask of complete diligence, saintliness, and utter virtue after I left the hall and got out of sight of the Daimyo. Kitami stood outside, waiting for me, and he rose an eyebrow slightly, but said nothing. One of the beautiful servants came along, smiling.

"Allow me to show you to where you will be staying, Shepherd-sama."

I followed her, keeping a steady pace and ensuring that I was never more than four feet behind her. Kitami followed behind both of us. Through the beautiful garden, the elegant and decorated courtyards, the long, exotic halls which would have had lesser men standing in awe at the sheer splendor and brilliance of the Japanese architecture. Until, to the north-east of the compound, in an area usually only reserved for the highest of nobility, we came to a stop.

The servant curtsied. "This is where you will be staying, Shepherd-sama. If there is anything you require, please do not hesitate to ask." She said curtly. "As for your bodyguard, his room is just across the hall. This entire wing of the Compound is now yours."

I smiled at her, and, as I had come to discover, my smile was "Super-effective" courtesy of being so pleasing on the eyes.

I did not miss the coloring on her cheeks as she left.

Once she did, I said naught a word, and then I entered into the room. It was a marvelous little thing, extravagant and complete with scented candles and shiny, sparkly décor. I paid no heed to any of it, even as Kitami entered, and he stared at me.

"You… have been unusually quiet Gat-sama."

At his words, I chortled.

Then I snickered.

Then...

I laughed.

I laughed. I laughed so much, and so badly, that Kitami could only help but stare at me in concern.

"L-look a-at this!" I managed to say between laughs, handing him a roll of parchment.

 **Daimyo's Decree**

 **By the decree of the Daimyo, Shijimi Hokora, the Shepherd is summarily now an official title and seen as an Enforcer of the Will of the Daimyo of The Land of Fire.**

 **This imperial decree, therefore and thereafter, grant the full support, weight, might, and name of the Daimyo, Shijimi Hokora of Hi no Kuni, to the Shepherd, in all his endeavors, tasks, judgments and decisions.**

 **All permissions, privileges, rights and honors awarded to the Daimyo, are now to be afforded henceforth to the Shepherd, without exception.**

 **Any found in breach or violation of this decree shall be summarily be treated as though in direct violation of the Daimyo himself, and is subject to execution, imprisonment, or any punishment deemed sufficient by the Shepherd himself.**

Kitami took in a sharp breath. He glanced at the paper, and back at me, and then back at the paper, his eyes examining the official branded seal of the Daimyo on it, and then he glanced back at me again.

"How?"

I managed to stop laughing, long enough to allow a smirk. "Because I specialize in the impossible, Kitami."

"This means –"

"That after the Daimyo, I am the most powerful person in all of the Land of Fire? Yes." I said cheekily, throwing a backflip and landing on the bed with a grin.

Kitami, for his part, shook his head, a familiar smirk on his face. "Just when I think you cannot possibly do anything more amazing Gat-sama, you go ahead and prove me wrong."

"Oh, we're not done yet Kitami. As a matter of fact, we're just getting started." I said, before leaping off the bed.

I landed on my feet, to Kitami's quiet amusement. "There isn't much time for celebrations, because as it stands, there is no doubt in my mind that Konoha will become aware of this soon. This means, I'll have a large, big red target painted on my back."

"So this means?"

"We're leaving Hi no Kuni."

Kitami's face scrunched up. "Leaving?"

"Yep." I said, taking small amusement in his confusion.

"But – your list? I thought we were going to go to Konoha – "

"That isn't really viable anymore. As it stands, I know of a certain warhawk who would be immediately livid if he discovered that there was a person who possessed as much power as the Daimyo, running around in his village."

I was _not_ going to be entering Danzo's radar anytime soon.

"Honestly? The major advantage I truly gain from it is the free reign to purchase as much land as I can, _permanently_ , and then make this land mine. Doing anything, _anything_ which would get me on Konoha's radar would be highly detrimental to my plans."

I currently have the power to remove their Hokage, and put another one in his place. They would be complete and utter fools _not_ to be wary of me.

"So… we're going to leave the Land of Fire, and we're not coming back for another couple of years… let's say… six or seven."

More accurately – after the time of the Uchiha Clan Massacre. Konoha, just recently losing their strongest and most iconic of clans, all slaughtered, would be a prime target. A far easier and more palatable target than now.

"When we come back, we'll complete all the items on the checklist." I explained. "But for now – we need to leave Hi no Kuni – and we need to leave it, _fast_."

* * *

 **XXXX**

* * *

In a darkened cave, a one-eyed man sat, rage slowly building as he learnt of the sheer stupidity of the man who ruled his country. The only reason the Daimyo was still in place, was because everyone realized how easily manipulated he was, they knew that he could be swayed with very little effort into seeing any argument. Hence, he was the perfect person to be in that position, essentially a puppet to superior minds and wills. Ready and willing to go along with any plan or proposition, simply because he could think of one no better.

But still – to think that he would be so bold and go so far as to do something like _this –_

The one-eyed man bristled at the mere thought of it. _The Shepherd._ _Gatoism_. He would be a fool not to have heard of one of those two things. It was all the traders who came from Mizu no Kuni could talk about. He had paid too little attention to it, as he was not a religious man, and he believed in no gods save for himself. Man was his own god, and no form of philosophical sophistry could convince him otherwise.

He had paid no heed to the exponential growth and boom the religion underwent, because he found it to be unimportant.

How foolish of him.

He should have known – the main propagator of the religion was a young boy named Gat, the son of Gato of Gato Shipping Company. It should have been the first sign to warn him that something was wrong, that there was more to this religion than what first appeared. Yet, he overlooked that fact. He was far too occupied with his business in Amegakure than he was anywhere else.

Now, _the Shepherd_ was the _Enforcer of the Land of Fire_. He possessed political power that was supreme, bar all but the Daimyo himself. How, how a small child from Mizu no Kuni had sailed across the world to become the second most powerful person in another country was absolutely beyond him.

Even worse, his spies were giving conflicting information. The accounts of the Shepherd from Mizu no Kuni indicated that he was but a young child no older than five. Yet, the accounts of those who had encountered him in Hi no Kuni claimed that he was an attractive young man of eighteen or nineteen. It was clear that this was intentional, to sow confusion and make it difficult for him to be properly identified.

Analyzing all that the Shepherd had done so far, and all he had achieved so far, spelled only one grim fact:

This _Gat_ , was some sort of genius.

His goal was to spread his religion, and use it as a method to conquer the world, planting himself as a religious leader supreme to all. His proclivity with spreading his religion, and his rumored accounts of meeting with leaders, supposed claims of his miraculous deeds, not to mention, the infrastructural revolution he was providing, connecting 'development' and 'progress' to his name –

It was sheer brilliance. He would have been amazed and applauded the Shepherd's methods, had he not been so displeased by them. He was a dangerous person – and he would needed to be eliminated.

For the good of Konoha, the Shepherd would have to die.

"Report."

His two agents, tasked with performing the deed, bowed.

"As of this morning, Danzo-sama – the Shepherd was seen departing Hi no Kuni on his ship. It… it is unknown as to where he was headed."

Danzo grit his teeth.

 _He knew_.

The Shepherd – _he knew._ Somehow, the Shepherd had known that assassins would be sent after him. He knew, and he escaped, fled before they would have any chance to reach him. The very fact that he _anticipated_ such a reaction from one who was merely attempting to be a religious figurehead cleared all doubts Danzo possessed. One did not merely gain such political savviness overnight.

The Shepherd was not _some sort_ of genius –

He was a deviant mastermind.

"Send an order to the men we have in Ame. Send an order to _every agent_ – the Shepherd is a high priority target." Danzo intoned coldly.

"He is to be killed, at any, and all costs."


	10. A Broken Genesis

**So, decided to update a little bit sooner than planned. You know how these things are.**

 **Anyway - this arc will end by next chapter, and you can expect a time-skip as we hit semi-canon events.**

* * *

The Land of Water was the most technologically advanced nation in the world.

Such a statement, when made normally, would have resulted in large, mocking, disbelieving laughter. Now, it was a disconcerting truth that creeped up unsuspectingly unto people. The first, and most prominent thing that had changed its status, was none other than the conclusion of the Kirigakure Civil War. As expected, a hidden village could not survive without the backing of its Daimyo. They could take no jobs, received no aid or trade, and were eventually considered as rogue elements in Mizu no Kuni. This of course, was the fate of the Yagura Loyalists. In contrast, the Rebels were well-funded, well-fed, and had the full backing of not only the Daimyo, but the High Priest of Gatoism, the Shepherd himself. Yagura could not wage a war by just himself, and in time, more and more of his men defected, finding his purist beliefs archaic and pointless. More and more of them became Gatoists. Eventually, the starvation became too much, and a revolt emerged within the Loyalist army. They rose, slaughtering themselves and killing amongst themselves, until eventually, the dissident faction of the Loyalist Army defeated all those who would oppose them. The feared and legendary Yagura Karatachi, Jinchuriki of the Three Tails, had no choice but to eliminate his own army to save his life.

He became a Kage with no shinobi.

Then – he vanished. Not a single trace could be found of him. Nothing, save for his staff which was found discarded at a site where a fierce and heavy battle had occurred, a battle between him and unknown elements.

And like that – the war was over.

The actual Rebels, were floored with the completely unexpected turn of events.

Immediately, the religious amongst them had pointed out that such was the fate of those who opposed the Chosen One, those who opposed the Divine, those who opposed the Shepherd and his flock.

Many had agreed. And hundreds more were convinced.

The Kirigakure Civil War had ended – without the Rebels ever fighting a single major battle, or suffering a single defeat.

Even the most stoic among them could not help but admit that it was completely unprecedented. The Bloody Mist, known for its violent wars, conflicts and practices, had somehow resolved a major civil war without any bloody battles of both sides. All of this, occurring only after vast majority of their members had been converted to a new faith. As every decent shinobi knew, there were no coincidences in their line of work.

The Faithful rejoiced, singing in the streets.

The skeptical revaluated their beliefs and began to pray.

The stoic stared on in disbelief, but accepted the good fortune.

And so, a new era dawned for Kirigakure no Sato, with the eventual rise of Jinshi Hoshigake as the Fifth Mizukage.

Following this, the 'Six Commandments' of the Land of Water's official religion, an elite group chosen by The Shepherd himself, began the plans that would aid in the revolution of the entire country.

* * *

"Have all the preparations been made?"

"Yes, Shepherd-Father."

"Well then – don't just stand there and bat those pretty eyes at me – power it up!"

A thick, heavy buzzing echoed in the area as the engineer pulled down the switch. Immediately, a silent hum could be heard, echoing from the large metallic constriction which stood proudly on another plot of land which had been donated to the religion's cause by the Daimyo himself.

"Now, to test it out."

Gato grinned, and he immediately grabbed the small device, placing it to his ear, and pushing a button at the side of it.

"… _ju… ti… Adjusting… Can you read me? I repeat, this is Chief Communications Engineer, Satoshi Hagawa, reporting from Gato Communications Waterlily Port Town Headquarters. Can you read me?"_

His grin grew wider. "I can read you loud and clear Hagawa. This is your boss speaking, and he's got a feeling you might be getting a fat fucking promotion very soon."

Several loud cheers went up, along with numerous polite claps and jubilations, and Gato himself could not help but admit he was certainly pleased with the results. This was the 20th Radio Tower finally installed in Mizu no Kuni, and with it, they could successfully send instantaneous voice messages every single where on the country, to anywhere else.

Honestly, Gato was surprised that he had chosen to stay this long and let things progress as they had. Then again, he could not help it, especially after he had received that letter from his son, eleven full months ago, when the boy had finally departed on his journey.

 _Dear Father,_

 _Have I ever mentioned how ridiculously stupid the world is? No? I haven't? Then I'm going to state it quite bluntly. The world is ridiculously stupid. Now – you might probably be chastising me about underestimating the world again, but in this case, I think I'm suitably right. You see, father, I realized a major problem with the way things worked. We have access to wireless radios which transmit signals by sending electromagnetic waves with frequencies below those of visible light. We have video cameras, video cassette recorders, VHS tapes, and eight bit computers. We have access to refrigerators to keep our meals preserved, plastics, synthetic fiber clothes, knowledge of electricity and of the internal combustion engine._

 _Of course, you're thinking "Of course we do. That's common knowledge. Why am I bothering telling you this?"_

 _The reason, of course, is because I feel that most of these things are greatly, significantly, underutilized. More importantly, Gato Shipping Company can expand to being more than just that, by utilizing these things properly and providing people a chance to pay to use something they could have gotten for free._

 _Now, Waterlily Port Town possesses nine industries which I have set to work, in order to mass produce things that would greatly come around to benefiting us. Attached to this letter include the list of things you might find interesting. If not, well, the industries are already managed efficiently enough and should produce rewards without my physical supervision. Though, I think you'll be reaaally interested in some of the stuff I have planned._

 _Your son,_

 _Gato Junior._

Really interested had been a grand understatement.

What the boy had listed, all of it was downright revolutionary.

The **Gato Audio Transmitter Electronics** were already a significant hit with Mizu no Kuni's Daimyo and wealthier families. The ability to instantaneously communicate long distances with their family members and friends had rapidly cut down the need for couriers to send letters. And of course, because Gato Shipping Company had now become _Gato Enterprises,_ with the newest _Gato Communications_ branch, he had charged them an exorbitant price for the small devices, being the sole manufacturer and producer in the country.

As per junior's wishes, approximately two GATEs were to be placed in every village, settlement, community and town in Mizu no Kuni. Places like trading posts and merchant hotspots had one, and then the entire community had another one, which they could use to communicate with people over far distances. It was, of course, placed at the simple price of 100Ryo a call.

The device was already revolutionary for the Kirigakure shinobi. Instantaneous communications were made available from Jonin to Genin during a mission, and similarly, a Jonin could immediately radio in backup or request further orders from the Kage in case of emergencies. Of course, the shinobi GATEs were made specially for them in mind, being significantly sturdier, waterproof, and damage resistant, but at the cost of some of the fancier applications that the Daimyo's variants possessed.

However, that was just _one_ of the numerous advancements that had been brought in, as the list was exhaustive.

 **Cool-GATs** was the revolutionary use of refrigerator technology to create an indoor cooling system for the nobles and wealthier citizens of the Land of Water. A self-contained room which could be temperature modulated, enabling one to feel as cold or as warm as they needed to be.

 **Gat-Vodka** was an alcoholic beverage which was created through the fermentation of potatoes and produced a stronger quality liquor much greater than anything ever seen or tasted in the world before. Shelves of bars in Mizu no Kuni were already lined with it, because it was several times stronger and harsher than normal rice sake. Large crates of it were already being exported to the other countries.

 **Gat-Up and Gat-Cola** were non-alcoholic, sugary-based beverages meant for children, or as an alternative for people who did not drink alcohol. **Gato Radio Broadcasting** was a subsidiary of _Gato Communications_ and it had begun running something called the 'News' which gave day-to-day information about the state of things in the Land of Water, the progress of development, and dutiful reading of scriptural verses. It reminded the people about time for prayers, sanctifications, and to recite the Ten "Hail Shepherd-sama" and "Hail Gat-sama." When it was not discussing religion, it moved onto entertainment programs, though that was still very rare.

 **Gato Constructions** was currently producing concrete and steel, and furthering the development of the citizens by building new houses, new parishes and places of worship, and ensuring that no one was unemployed. If you were able-bodied and willing – there was a job for you there.

 **Gato Electricity Distribution** focused on providing more access to electrical power to the numerous far reaches of the Mizu no Kuni, and this was powered with the aid of **Shepherd Dams –** the major source of power in the entire country.

Whenever Gato looked back, he still could not believe how far the country had come in a measly eleven months. He still could not believe how he had never considered being more than a mere Shipping Conglomerate. He could not believe that he was some sort of revered, religious figure – Shepherd-Father, they called him – all because his son had somehow transformed the world and put his name as that of a religion.

Except, he knew that was the crux of it all. _The religion_.

When people saw their name of their religious lord and savior on brands, they rushed to aid in whatever way they could. They purchased in whatever way they could. They were already biased towards it, and so, they would love and accept it without question. They would want it to succeed without question. When the first radio tower needed to be constructed, people had _flocked_ , from everywhere, just to help. Most of them had even worked for _free_ and _refused_ to take payment.

Gato was a witness of what could be accomplished, if a significant amount of people combined forces to make it happen.

All because they _believed_.

It was terrifying.

Yet, it was astounding.

Best of all, the Daimyo was far too busy enjoying the benefits of the religion, enjoying the technological boom, enjoying all his new toys, distractions and devoutness –

He did not realize that his power and influence dwindled by the day. He did not notice that his army's loyalty twiddled away. When the Water Daimyo – supposedly the most powerful man in the Land, answered to the Shepherd –

He had stopped being the most powerful man in the Land.

"Alright – get me _Gato Constructions_ on the line!" Gato barked into the GATE, "Tell them that we're going to start working on the largest project they've ever seen, and it's going to be the greatest fucking thing ever naturally created by man. Call in the Foggers – er – the Shinobi – we might as well use their freaky ninjutsu nonsense to get this thing done."

Gato grinned as he looked at the list that he carried with him everywhere.

"By the time we're done, the Land of Fire's "Valley of the End" will be but a bonsai tree in the grand forest of world wonders."

…Shit he should have written that down.

Definitely something for the history books.

* * *

~~~~~~~~~~~~ Son of Gato ~~~~~~~~~

* * *

 **Year Five – Month Eleven, Day 20**

On a small, uninhabited island in the middle of the vast seas, four people stood. One, a young tanned man with golden eyes and black braided hair. The other, a large, heavily bearded samurai with two swords and garbed in an elegant, yet truly refined kimono. The other two were children, albeit, they would not be considered children in the situation and the context.

A young girl, dressed in a short, dark-blue kimono, a sharp smile on her face, her hair tied into a smooth bun, stood with a geisha-like appeal. Across from her, a white-haired, skinny, pale looking young man, standing shirtless but with a pair of black pants, stood, his arms crossed.

"Are you ready for this, Kimi-kun?"

The older boy, determinedly nodded. "Whenever you are, Haku-sempai."

The garbed samurai, stroked his beard before uttering a single word.

"Begin."

The two figures immediately blurred into action. Kimimaro possessed the initiative, charging forward with two bony-white blades immediately appearing in his hands, which he swung with unexpected grace.

 **Maxilla Swords.**

Haku dodged two slashes that aimed to take her head off with an elegant twirl, before shooting her right leg upwards, in a kick that was designed to shatter jaws. It never connected, her opponent leaning backwards, and in the process, his dual bone blades morphed in his hands, extending, in the blink of an eye, into spears.

 **Extending Bone Spear.**

She could not evade them, and the spears immediately punctured her chest and stomach, extending all the way through. Her expression morphed into one of shock, for all of a brief second, before her color faded, and in her place, was an exact copy made of ice.

 **Ice Clone.**

Kimimaro's eyes widened, realizing what was coming before it did, as the ice immediately exploded, sending a torrent of ice senbon flying in his direction.

 **Exploding Ice Clone: Ice Senbon.**

He rose his arm, and a jagged shield made of bones emerged, causing the ice senbon to shatter on impact against them.

 **Shield of Crossbones.**

His eyes narrowed, as he turned his attention upwards, finding his target once more, Haku smirking down at him as her hands blurred into a series of handseals. The Kaguya didn't let her complete them, as he immediately changed the shape of his bone shield, transforming it into a magnificent bow with a curled, jagged arrow in front of it.

 **Mandible Bow.**

Both techniques unleashed themselves at the same time, the bony arrow soaring into the air just as several lances of ice rained down below.

 **Ice Release: Piercing Hailstorm.**

The arrow divided halfway through its flight, raining a bullet of bones into the sky, shattering through the jagged ice and piercing through the girl in the air, riddling her body with an innumerable number of holes.

 **Exploding Bone Bullet Arrow.**

Her face contorted into one of shock, once more, for all of a second, before she lost color, revealing it to be another ice clone. From _within_ the frozen clone, the original emerged, a smirk firmly displayed on her face.

 **Secret Technique: Ice Release: Demon Possessing Ice Mirrors**

With her activating her ability to travel nigh-instantaneously through ice of _any sorts_ , Kimimaro became wary, paying attention to his surroundings to attempt to ensure that there was no ice around him – only to curse as he realized he was surrounded by it, courtesy of her **Ice Release: Piercing Hailstorm** which he had broken.

In a flash, Haku was in front of him, a senbon of ice slamming into his left foot.

Less than a second later, another senbon of ice slammed into his right foot. Then, in a blur that was too fast for him to react to, too fast for him to stop, his entire lower body was covered with frozen senbon.

 **Secret Technique: Ice Release: Speeding Demon Princess.**

She appeared before him in a blur, her hand placed into a threatening handsign, one which he knew would not end well for him if activated.

"You know what this handsign means Kimi-kun."

Of course he did. How could he not? He had seen her use it before, using it as a focus to train under the questionably insane methods that Shepherd-sama put her under. _Ice Release: Frostbite_ , was the cutesy name she gave the technique that could _instantly_ freeze boiling water. A technique that enabled anything and everything she touched to be frozen solid from the inside out. A technique that she used all the time casually, to turn beers and drinks into frozen popsicles she would then suck on.

A technique, which would immediately freeze his blood and every other liquid in his body if he let her use it. Indestructible bones were useless if your blood was brittle as ice.

It was for reasons like this, that he knew, and accepted the younger girl as his superior. Shepherd-sama had chosen her wisely.

Slowly, he rose his hand.

"I forfeit."

* * *

 **XXXX**

* * *

"I forfeit."

I could not help the satisfied smile that came to my face, even as the man standing beside me grumbled annoyingly under his breath.

"Haku wins. _Again_." Kitami said, clearly doing so with great effort, before he turned back to me, his right eye twitching.

"You've created a monster."

I stuck my tongue out at him. "You're just angry that my method of training Haku makes her stronger than all the beatings you instilled into Kimimaro."

"Yes," Kitami didn't bother denying it. "But you've still created a monster. That speed… the only person I could think of who could move that fast –"

"The Yellow Flash?" I supplied, nodding. "Yes. That's who I had in mind when teaching her the technique."

The application was simple enough, one which always bothered me. Haku was fast, I meant _fast_ , but when using the famed **Demonic Mirroring Ice Crystals** which was a staple of the Yuki Clan, she stopped being _fast_ and started being _insane._ A technique that enabled you to travel through dozens ice crystals so fast, you appeared on all of them simultaneously? The level of speed required to perform that was _insane_.

Hence, I brought up a simple solution –

What if she used that ability, to travel through ice – what if she mastered it well enough to be able to travel through _any_ type of ice, at the same speed as she would while in the jutsu? To be able to nigh-instantaneously move through fragments of ice, no matter how small, and to be able to do this at a speed that would allow her to look as though she was in two places at once?

The result was creating a frightening five-year old that was the fastest girl in the world.

Minato and Tobirama's Flying Thunder God utilized teleportation via markers to achieve their insane speed, but Haku utilized _ice_ , all and _any_ type of ice to achieve hers. She could move through two cubes of ice approximately one hundred and thirteen times in the same span of time it took me to _blink_. And considering the fact that she could _make_ ice, and all her jutsu _used_ ice – it meant that she would _always_ have ice on the battlefield. That meant, she would _always_ be able to move between ices faster than most people could blink. So unless you had the Sharingan or Hiraishin or Lightning Armor… you were screwed.

The best part?

 _She was just five years old._

Which meant… _she would get faster and stronger._

Gods, she was _so_ broken. So, completely and overwhelmingly broken.

 _AND SHE WAS MINE!_

I couldn't help it as I sauntered towards the scene of the battle, where both combatants where still shaking each other, and I immediately whisked Haku off her feet and spun her into the air.

"S-S-Shepherd-sama?" she stuttered, her entire face going red.

"You've done well Haku-chan. You are a magnificent prodigy – and I am so, so proud of you."

It should have been illegal as to how cute she was when spluttering and stammering. Gah! I wanted to just hug her and squeeze her –

But I couldn't afford to play favorites _too_ much. So, I put her down to the ground, where she tried to regain some form of composure, and then I moved over to Kimimaro, before equally raising him into the air.

"…Please put me down Shepherd-sama."

"Would you deny me, Kimimaro-kun?"

"…"

"Ah, you're so cute when you're being tsundere."

"I-I-I am not Tsundere!"

"Are you calling me a liar, Kimimaro-kun?"

"…"

"Good little Tsundere follower."

Kimimaro, trying his hardest not to appear embarrassed, but failing overwhelmingly, was one of the few things that I had started to live for.

I placed him down, before immediately going back to my serious voice. "Now, Kimimaro-kun, do not feel too badly about losing to Haku. Her bloodline is simply one of the most powerful ones in the world, and against yours, it makes for a poor match-up. Also… Haku cheats. She initially attempted to try close-combat, but the difference in skill between you and her is too great – so she resorted to a ranged fight. You put up a good challenge against her though, but – you are a close-ranged fighter predominantly, which put you at a distinct disadvantage."

Kimimaro listened to every single word I uttered with straight-faced seriousness, and – and he grabbed a small note and jotter, and began rapidly scribbling down.

 _The Shepherd's word is law,_ that was his mantra, and I found it immensely amusing.

Technically, Kimimaro was the better fighter. Experience wise, and in actual combat, he was far _far_ better than Haku. However, he could not beat her when it came to her _speed_. When she was using her **Speeding Demon Princess** technique – Kimimaro couldn't do a single thing. This was also not to mention the fact that I had trained Haku in how to utilize her bloodline to _freeze_ objects. It was the reason I had her practice water-walking on boiling water after all.

Seriously, how had no one ever realized that Haku possessed the potential to be the Narutoverse version of Elsa?

"Ah – Shepherd-sama?"

I turned my attention to the source of the voice.

"Yes, my cute little ice angel?"

She blushed, before trying her best to regain her composure again.

"Um… Kitami-sama seems to be taking out his frustration on the forest again…"

I turned my attention to Kitami, watching as the man slicing through a couple of trees, yelling at them as loudly and as annoyingly as he could.

"Ignore him Haku-chan. He just can't handle your cuteness."

Kimimaro frowned. "Why does Kitami-sensei get upset whenever I lose? Should it not be a given that I cannot defeat Haku since she is Shepherd-sama's chosen?"

"Ignore him Kimimaro-kun. He's just very, very competitive."

~~~~~~~~~~~~ Son of Gato ~~~~~~~~~~~~

 **Year Five – Month Eleven, Day 22**

I sat in my room aboard the SS Gatebreaker, jotting new instructions and ideas to send back home to my father to complete the technological revolution of Mizu no Kuni. The ship swayed back and forth, and made me realize how I had grown so accustomed to sea-travel that I barely even noticed it anymore.

I let out a slight yawn, before stretching my arms, feeling the satisfying 'pop' echo from the within, and I couldn't help but feel the amusement at this **Grand Transformation** , which I could now keep up indefinitely, after using a Miracle Point to make the Jutsu require no chakra cost.

Speaking of miracles…

A lot had changed in the seven months since leaving Hi no Kuni and being declared the Enforcer of the Land of Fire. I did my best to stay away from any of the major villages, particularly because going to any of them to spread my religion or meet with their Daimyo's would immediately cultivate it in the heads of people that I was a power-hungry individual. Instead, while sailing to our final destination, we made stops at the smaller villages – smaller and lesser known towns and cities, and the lesser populated countries.

I spread Gatoism as far and as wide as I could, doing my best to avoid the Big Five countries, but at the same time, the constant stops enabled me to train Haku and Kimimaro up to their current level, whilst at the same time begin working on my fuinjutsu knowledge.

More than that though, there were _two_ major thing that had actually contributed towards their progress, especially Haku's progress – bringing her to a level that was clearly **A-Ranked** in just under seven months.

 **Title:**

 **Legendary Master**

 **When equipped, this title enables you to be capable of training legends and developing heroes, finding their hidden potential, and bringing out the best of it as quickly and as effectively as possible.**

 **Grants +200% Learning Ability to All Disciples**

 **Grants +100% Comprehension Speed to All Disciples**

 **Grants +70% Affection with All Disciples**

And…

 **Skill:**

 **Tutoring (Passive) Lv. Max**

 **The ability to impart knowledge or instruct, or to cause someone to learn or understand something by example or experience. For every ten levels of this skill, everyone you actively instruct will gain a 10% increase in their ability to understand and conceptualize theories, ideas, or foreign notions, for anything as trivial as cooking or sewing, to anything as complicated as brain surgery.**

 **At Max Levels – you can teach a goat to breakdance…**

 **And succeed.**

The title and the skill were two things I purchased with Miracle Points. I almost laughed when I realized that they both cost nothing more than 15MP each – and though it had taken me 30 MP, I could gladly say that they were both worth it, considering how far I had gone with Haku.

She wasn't _quite_ S-Rank yet – but she was certainly good enough to give a Jonin a run for their money. Her true power lay in her bloodline and the element of surprise, which would allow her to immediately devastate most Jonin in a fight if they did not know to expect it. If they _did_ however, they would be able to conjure a way to counter it – and Haku's combat ability was not quite Jonin level. I'd place her around mid-to-high Chunin than outright Jonin level in Taijutsu and she was just Genin-level in Ninjutsu. So, she wasn't S-Rank… yet.

Kimimaro on the other hand, faced the opposite problems. In Taijutsu – Kimimaro was solidly S-Rank. He could not be beat – as now, Kitami had to go all out against him if he wanted to make the boy actively work up a sweat, and even then, their spars had often ended in draws or in losses for the Land of Iron Samurai. Kimimaro's bones got stronger and stronger like a muscle, and his experience with fighting Kitami had made the bones become strong enough to match the elite samurai's swords. He was fast – faster than he had been in canon, nowhere near as fast as Haku, (because Haku was hax) but now as fast as Kitami.

His problem, however, was the fact that he was not good at long-ranged combat. I estimated that War!Gaara or War!Temari would be able to beat him, merely because he was a Taijutsu specialist pure and simple. His ninjutsu moves were all deadly moves which were fatal at close-range, but not so much at long range.

He did, however, have five long-range ninjutsu… all of which were _incredibly_ destructive, and could be used to devastate long-ranged fighters. Such as his **Mandible Bow** and **Exploding Bone Bullet Arrow** , but they cost a lot of chakra to create, and were slow in creation.

The best part of this?

All of this training had been done in _seven months_. In just _seven months_ – Kimimaro was S-Rank. It made me realize how lucky I was to have such prodigies under my wing – these were the unsung prodigies of the world, but everyone was always too busy sucking Itachi's dick to realize that there were other child prodigies than him.

Fuck being ANBU captain at age thirteen – Kimimaro was S-Rank in Taijutsu at age _seven._

I, on the other hand, continued my dabbling into medical Ninjutsu and Fuinjutsu – although with varied degrees of success.

 **Chakra Scalpels (Active) Lv. 81**

 **Mystical Palm Technique (Active) Lv. 94**

 **Apprentice Level Fuinjutsu (Passive) Lv. 34**

I could now create **Paper Bombs** and **Sealing Scrolls** but not much else. Still, it was a work in progress, and considering I still had a whole _twelve years_ before the canon timeline – I could be rest assured that I would be a master soon enough.

 _Knock! Knock! Knock!_

I blinked, my mind now far away from any reminiscing as I turned to the door.

"Come in."

Entering into the room with her formally designed Kimono, her hair let down, and an ever-permanent blush on her face, I almost positively beamed at seeing her.

"Ah, Haku-chan. You look so demure I could almost eat you all up."

Her blush only grew wilder and more ferocious, and I knew it was because she still had not gotten over my bishounen transformed appearance. I was _still_ irresistible to the female gender, regardless of age, and to the male gender, I was the object of envy.

"Y-you really shouldn't say such things Shepherd-sama!"

I waved off her concern. "You're my cute little Saint Haku-chan. You know it's true. Besides, I don't think you'd be too adverse to the proposition."

Her face went tomato. "I-I-I – I am too young for s-s-such –"

I sighed. "True, true. I suppose I shall wait for you to ripen Haku-chan." I smiled, "I am sure you'll look forward to that day, won't you Haku-chan?"

The poor girl looked as though she was about to faint, and I resisted the urge to start laughing.

"It's reactions like these which made me warm up to you two little munchkins," I said wistfully "It's hard to keep up an appearance of being an unflappable priest of divinity around such adorableness."

She pouted at me. "You tease me too much Shepherd-sama."

"It's because you're such an easy tease Haku-chan." I responded simply. "That, and when you get older, I suppose I'll have to teach you seduction techniques… which means I won't be able to watch you get so easily flustered anymore. I might as well enjoy it while I can."

I watched as the young girl walked closer to me, and it reminded me of the stark differences between this world and the world I came from. Chakra – it was a beautiful thing, it made all the difference in the development and maturity of a child. The world, and their chakra – it molded a different breed of children than the ones I was used to.

It was how and why twelve was seen as the legal age for graduation, as you were expected to possess a certain maturity as a shinobi, and at twelve, you were considered old enough to be responsible for your own actions, old enough to kill, to drink, or to go out and fuck if you wanted.

It would be hypocritical to let a twelve-year old slit the throat of a full grown man and watch the light leave their eyes, but then turn around and say that they were not mature enough to remove their clothes sexually stimulate themselves. Or, even more ridiculously, to tell them that they were not allowed to imbibe a mind-altering substance.

"Shepherd-sama?"

"Hmm…?"

"W-what are you thinking about, Shepherd-sama?"

I smiled at her. "Just thinking about this wretched world, and what I must do to bring it salvation."

She smiled at me, moving closer to place her hands on my face. They were cold, very cold. But they were not uncomfortable.

"I believe in you Shepherd-sama."

"Oh?" I said, my lips curling "And if I were to say that I am a fraud?"

"I would believe in you still."

"And if I said that I was going to conquer the world and enslave everyone in it?"

"Then I would stand beside you, Shepherd-sama, against the whole world."

The conviction in her eyes, it was startling, and it was comforting.

"I – I want to thank you, Shepherd-sama."

"Thank me?" I questioned.

"For… everything."

The look in her eyes, on her face – her expression, her words, her movement – I analyzed everything, and I knew what it meant. I knew – Haku was in love with me.

Haku would die for me.

She would do anything I asked of her, without fail.

 _She was mine_.

"You're welcome Haku-chan."

I smirked.

"You're welcome."

* * *

 **XXXX**

* * *

 **Year Five – Month Eleven, Day Thirty**

"Land ahoy!"

"We've reached our final destination!"

Garbed in thick winter clothes, I took a deep breath of the fresh, pristine air of the outside, whilst at the same time glancing forward, unable to keep the giddiness out of my face from finally reaching my major destination. The place in which I would truly begin my empire. The starting point for the magnificent revolution I would bring to the Shinobi world.

 **Location Discovered: Yuki no Kuni**

The Land of Snow.


	11. Road to Godhood

**This chapter is specially dedicated to those afraid that "All it'd take is one Genjutsu from a skilled user like Itachi to have Haku/Kitami stab Gat in the back."**

 **Meh, and I guess it's also dedicated to all of the Naruto fandom... to understand the sheer hax powers possessed by a Gamer with a little bit of ingenuity.**

* * *

 **Son of Gato**

* * *

He was so… _handsome_.

The most handsome man she had ever seen in her life. Merely looking at him caused her heart to beat faster, her stomach to turn, her blood to rush to her face, and gave her an unfamiliar _warmth_ that she could not control. With beautiful tanned skin, rich golden eyes, and such long, long locks of dark braided hair – her breathing picked up as she imagined being whisked away by such a man. Considering that she just recently turned twelve, it was made worse by all the complicated feelings and emotions that came with that age, and her imagination ran wild.

It was strange for them to have visitors in the Land of Snow, though. Her father rarely ever got people from across the world travelling here to meet with him. More than that, he rarely ever got visitors in the form of a handsome priest. The way he carried himself, it was more regal and more elegant than anything she could put together. The way he spoke, he commanded more authority and respect than anything she could ever muster. She didn't really know what her father was discussing with him, but she knew it was something serious and business-like. She really ought to pay attention to it though – because she would be the Daimyo one day, and she would need to do her best to understand all the politics and stuff.

A sudden wave of _pleasure_ and happiness hit her and she gawked from her hiding spot. She had never felt anything like it before – a burning feeling that washed over her skin, crawled and caressed her body, comforting her, reassuring her and at the same time soothing her – she bit her lip as the sensation drenched her in its full embrace, feeling like pure, unbridled _euphoria_ –

Her breaths came out in short pants as she tried to understand, or comprehend what it was that hit her – what it was that rolled over her like that – she continued peeking, and surely enough, she knew that it was from the man. The handsome man. His very presence sung of that comforting, pleasurable feeling –

She yearned for it. For him. Already, she envisioned dirty little fantasies in her mind, blushing up a storm as she wondered how he would _feel_ , she wondered if he would be gentle as he appeared, or a savage, ravaging beast –

"Ah, Koyuki-chan."

She went ramrod straight at her father's voice. Her fantasies stopped abruptly, especially as she knew that she had to put on the demure appearance that was required of her. She stepped out from her location, slowly, gently, mentally counting her steps and calculating her breathing, before appearing in front of the guests.

"This is my daughter, Koyuki." She heard her father say, his voice preening with pride. "Koyuki – this gentleman before us is called The Shepherd."

She bowed, doing her best to smile. "It is a pleasure to meet you Shepherd-sama."

He smiled at her, and she felt her heart nearly burst. "And likewise, it is a pleasure to meet you, Koyuki-chan."

It shouldn't have been possible for mere words to make her feel as though she had been pleasured. Yet, that was exactly how it felt. The Shepherd's smooth, soft voice caressed her like a passionate, yet gentle lover, and it took every last ounce of her willpower to stop herself from crying out like a bride in the throes of passion.

"You have a truly beautiful daughter Kazahana-dono," The Shepherd said, and Koyuki found it hard to as much as breathe, lest her dwindling resistance fail and she lose every inhibition.

"But of course, my daughter is my gem." He said with a grandiose laugh. "I love her more than anything in the world."

"More than anything?" The Shepherd said, his golden eyes locking unto her form –

And her body _shuddered_ as she bit down on her lip.

She – she –

"I would have her then."

Had she been in a clearer state of mind, she would have reacted to the Shepherd's statement with shock, confusion, shooting her gaze upwards in a mix of disbelief and giddiness –

Instead, she tried her best not to be… _overwhelmed_ for a second time.

"Ah – my – daughter… you want… her?" Her father's voice croaked.

"Yes, Sosetsu Kazahana-dono," the Shepherd said, his voice smooth and clear "You did state that you would grant me whatever it was I desired – was that declaration a lie, Sosetsu-dono?" The Shepherd tilted his head, "Are you a man, who makes empty promises, Sosetsu- _san_?"

"No! Surely – I am not – but… my daughter –"

"Are you aware of the story of Jephthah, Sosetsu-san?" The Shepherd spoke, his voice clear "He made a promise to the Divine – that should he slaughter his enemies, overcome them, he would grant unto the Divine, the first person whose feet enter his door. And so it was – that the first person who entered his abode… was his beloved daughter."

"I – you see –"

" **Are you a liar Sosetsu?** "

The voice thundered across the room, and Koyuki had never seen her father so ashen.

"N-no." he said, his voice low "B-but – not my daughter. Please. Anything but her – anything else – anything you ask for – anything but my Koyuki."

"Anything?" The Shepherd asked.

"Anything!"

The Shepherd smiled.

"Very well." He rose his hands. "Then grant me your kingdom, oh great Daimyo."

Her father glanced at her, and then back to the Shepherd, before seemingly swallowing a thick lump in his throat.

"You… you may have it." He croaked. "The Land of Snow is yours."

* * *

~~~~~~~~~~~~ Son of Gato –

* * *

 **Year Five – Month Twelve, Day Three**

One of the few things I loved about behavioral psychology, was the "Foot-in-the-door" phenomenon. Or, as I liked to call it, the "Decoy Bargain." It was always significantly easier for someone to gain something from someone else, if they made a large, absurd demand first, and then made their actual demand afterwards. Done in such a way, it would make it appear as though the second offer was far more reasonable, even if it was not truly so.

You wanted to get a hundred ryo?

As for a thousand, and when the decoy bargain failed, you asked for your real amount, which would seem far more reasonable in comparison.

You desired to take a girl on a date?

Ask her, as comically as possible, for you to grow old together. She would flat out turn you down. And then, you sprung the actual question, 'a single date,' which would seem far more reasonable once the decoy bargain had run its course.

The reason it worked effectively was because people tended to feel guilty about refusing others, no matter how much they claimed to be the type of person who could bluntly do so. To refuse someone, twice, in a short span of time would make them feel immense guilt, hence, they were more likely to accept the second demand, especially if it seemed far more feasible than the first.

I used this trick in my old life to gain favors and items from other people, and this was when I was an average-looking young man with no special traits to trigger any innate biases.

 _But as the Shepherd?_

I almost laughed as I watched Kazahana Sosetsu finalize the papers which would crown me as the Daimyo of the Land of Snow – all because I had tricked the fool into promising me 'any one thing' he desired, and then promptly asked him for the one thing I knew he would never be willing to give. It was a decoy bargain, asking for his daughter, because I had no true intention of actually keeping her – but he did not know that. Upon refusing the decoy bargain, asking for his position as Daimyo was child's play.

I watched as Doto Kazahana seethed quietly in the corner, and I knew that I had ruined the fool's plans to assassinate his brother and become the Daimyo. Not that I could blame him – such a plan which he had no doubt spent months or years finalizing, only for all of it to be rendered pointless by the arrival of a foreign force.

Of course, I could not have my recent ascension to Daimyo of the country be ruined by any idiots, nor could I allow for the continued existence of the ex-Daimyo, which would constantly be a thorn to my authority that I did not suitably need.

A shame that they would both have to go.

* * *

 **XXXX**

* * *

"Shh… be calm my child. It will all be better. Your father has gone to a far better place now."

The crying form of a twelve-year old Koyuki Kazahana clung to me, as I slowly, reassuringly rubbed her back and her head, holding her in a tight embrace. We stood in the large, open throne room of the Kazahana Fort, and I let the girl weep.

"Do not worry my child, we shall hold a memorable service in his honor – and we shall not forget him."

So it had been, that Doto Kazahana, angry and seething at his brother's casual handing over of their country to a foreigner, confronted Sosetsu Kazahana in public, engaging in a heated, angry shouting match, before, in the heat of the moment, Doto launched the first punch. Of course, Sosetsu, baffled at his brother's violent outburst, could do nothing but stare on in shock, as his brother unleashed his full fury upon him.

The people of Yuki no Kuni had stared on in shock, as the former Daimyo was beaten like a mere thug on the streets. Doto Kazahana was a beast – an animal – and he rained layer upon layer of blows upon his brother, so much that the snow beneath them was absolutely layered with blood, and the blows had continued until one connected and resounded with a thick, sickening crack.

Sosetsu Kazahana lay dead, and his panting brother stood above him, with bloodied fists.

For all of a few seconds, before he, as well, collapsed, grasping at his chest and coughing violently before falling over, dead.

Or at the very least, that was the version I wanted everyone to believe.

The truth was far, far trickier – but now irrelevant. The less that was said of it, the better. It was not like anyone needed to know, that when Doto had supposedly been attacking his brother, he had instead been in his room, where several sharp icicles impaled his throat.

Part of me couldn't help but feel the irony, as I wondered what Koyuki would do if she realized that the hands which calmed, stroked and comforted her, were the same ones which had beat her father to bloody death.

Considering that in the nearest future, these same hands would be inside her –

It was just too _deliciously_ ironic.

 **Congratulations!**

 **You have attained absolute sovereign control over an entire country!**

 **You are now [Daimyo] of the Land of Snow!**

 **You can now fully assign tasks, funds, management, and choose the production of the country under your command!**

 **New Territory Attained!**

 **Land of Snow (Yuki no Kuni)**

 **A frozen country on the farthest edges of the world, with access to technology, ores, silvers, and unexpected amounts of riches. Previously owned by Sosetsu Kazahana before formally handing it over, the country is yours to modify and command.**

 **Statistical Information:**

 **Taxation Rate: Low**

 **Illiteracy Rate: 9.2%**

 **Poverty Rate: 13.07%**

 **Unemployment Rate: 16.4%**

 **Birth Rate: 50.1%**

 **Death Rate: 30.5%**

 **Environmental Cleanliness: 89.7%**

 **Populace Satisfaction: 96%**

 **Population Count: 7,523**

 **[Note: Low ratings of Environment Cleanliness equal higher frequency of diseases and illnesses, and potential spreads of viruses/epidemics.]**

 **Infrastructural Information:**

 **No. of Hospitals: 2**

 **No. of Schools: 5**

 **No. of Industries: 24**

 **No. of Casinos: 0**

 **No. of Geisha Houses: 0**

 **No. of Brothels: 1**

 **No. of Hotels: 2**

 **No. of Hot Springs: 0**

 **No. of Tourist Attractions: 0**

 **Religious Information:**

 **You have established your religion amongst the people, rewriting their perspectives, stripping away their individuality, redrafting their history, preying on their gullibility and making them believe in your philosophical and religious "doctrines".**

 **Religion of Gatoism**

 **Leader/Ruler/High-Priest: Gat the Shepherd**

 **Designation of Followers: Sheep/Sheeple**

 **Philosophical Doctrine: The Sheep are lost without the Shepherd. The Sheep are devoured without the Shepherd. The Sheep are nothing without the Shepherd.**

 **Religious Doctrine: The Divine Shepherd is god.**

 **Mantras: Freedom is Slavery/Ignorance is Strength/All men are born equal, but some men are more equal than others.**

 **Devotees: 9**

 **Brainwashing: 1%**

 **Fanaticism: 0%**

 **Loyalty: 42%**

 **Fame: Incredibly Well Known**

 **Sphere of Influence: Land of Water, Land of Hot Springs, Land of Fire, Land of Bears, Land of Hot Water**

It had been such a long time since I last gained territory. Since Waterlily Port Town… a full year ago. So much had happened in that time.

 **Industrial Production**

 **The Land of Snow (Yuki no Kuni) has special productions which are unique to it. These special productions include:**

 **[Transportation System – Trains]**

 **[Transportation System – Blimps]**

 **[Special Item – Chakra Armor]**

 **[Special Item – Chakra Negator]**

 **[Special Item – Generator]**

Ah – this was going to be simply, _glorious._

* * *

 **XXXX**

* * *

 **Year Five – Month Twelve, Day Eight**

"Haku-chan, Kimimaro-kun – make yourselves at home," I said, gesturing to the large castle, before turning back to them. "Yuki no Kuni is ours, and we're going to be staying here for a while. It can get a bit cold – but I think you'll warm up to it in no time."

"Wow… this place… it's so huge!"

It was indeed. The scale of the fort – which I'd quickly christened **Shepherd Citadel –** had been grossly underestimated in the sole movie that depicted this area of the world. The fort was _large_ , easily twice the size of the Fire Daimyo's compound, and it could have been the size of a small town on its own. It was staffed and operated by servants, something that had been missing in the _Ninja Clash in the Land of Snow_ movie – and there were other areas within it which were owned by some of the country's richer citizens. However, the majority of it belonged to the Daimyo, to me.

"There are over twenty two or so bedrooms," I added, "So pick whichever ones you like. Although, one preferably close-by. The kitchens are operated by the Citadel's staff – who all have their own quarters here. There isn't much in the way for entertainment, surprisingly – but, there is a large courtyard which I can get repurposed into a proper training field."

The interior of the fort was large and blue, being designed in a manner that would not have been out of place in a videogame level, with architectural designs that were nothing I'd ever seen in the Elemental Nations so far. The Main Throne Room held a long carpet which led to a central chair that stood above all others, in a vast hall designed with numerous ornaments, trinkets, and candles. The hallways were filled with different paintings, and they were broad, long stretches of things with a staircase at the end.

Thankfully, the country had electricity, and everywhere was powered up with electric lightbulbs or fluorescent lighting that was elegantly designed to be shaped like icy prisms. There was also the existence of rushing water and proper water-closet toilets and sinks, which meant hot showers. It also meant that the inside of buildings had temperature regulators that weren't the **Cool-GATs** that I had my company manufacture. It was just another one of those things that reminded me of how the Land of Snow developed differently from other nations, and the technological divide that existed between them.

"So… we finally made it here." Kitami spoke up, glancing around at the room. "I can't say I'm fond of the cold, but I have a feeling it won't be a problem for long."

"Why do you think so?"

"Because you've got that look on your face."

I smirked. "What look?"

"There – _that one_ – the one that makes it appear as though you're about to perform another miracle."

"Well… maybe I am."

Kitami shook his head. "I'm going to find something to drink." He turned to one of the maids, "Hey you –

"Her name is Ikki." I supplied helpfully. I sometimes forgot that not everyone had the ability to see people's names on top of their heads.

"Ikki! What's the best booze you've got in this frozen wasteland?"

I watched Kitami make his way to the kitchens, and then turned my attention to Haku and Kimimaro.

"Hmm… now… you two also need to find something doing for the mean while…" I turned to Haku, "Haku-chan – how about you trail Koyuki, and then try to teach her a few things? She's practically nothing but a useless pretty face to me at the moment, so, try to change that."

I almost grinned at seeing Haku's slightly begrudged expression. I didn't even need my **Observe** to know that she was did not like the other girl, for fear that Koyuki would try and 'steal' me away.

"You can be… _a little bit_ rough on her. I'd say she needs the tough love."

Haku's smile was almost predatory.

"Hai Shepherd-sama!"

And she was gone in a crack of ice.

I turned to the last member of the group. "Kimimaro-kun. While we're here, we might as well work on making you even stronger."

He straightened up at the prospect of power and training, and I smiled at him.

"Imagine the amount of damage you would be capable of wreathing, if you could channel Lightning Chakra through your bones and use them to attack. A living lightning rod, making you possess unbeatable offense and defense."

I felt **Tutoring** immediately become active, and watched as Kimimaro's eyes widened as he realized the implications, and the applications.

"Not just Lightning Chakra – but other types as well. Your bones are already an unbreakable defense – but to turn it into an unstoppable offense, imagine channeling Wind Chakra through it. Using Wind Chakra with your **Bone Bullet** technique or **Bone Lance** would make them unstoppable piercing projectiles. Or you could simply utilize Wind Ninjutsu with your bloodline in order to achieve maximum range and damage."

He was immediately jotting down what I was saying, and I felt my cheek twitch.

"So – we're going to get started on your Nature Manipulation training." I said simply. "I'm not sure what your chakra nature is, however, it doesn't matter, considering we'll be working on all five natures regardless. By the time we're done, you should be able to wield all five Chakra Natures naturally."

Sarutobi Hiruzen could do it – after years and years of training, and he didn't even have a hax teacher like myself to impart the knowledge and boost up the training speed and progress. So, it was feasible that in the next twelve years, Kimimaro could and would master all the five chakra natures.

"So – start with wind, and then go to lightning, and then, fire, earth and water."

"Understood, Shepherd-sama." Kimimaro declared. "I will not let you down."

I spent a short while teaching him the basics of using Wind Chakra, before leaving him to his devices. Now, left on my own, I decided it would be best to begin working on the next agenda of my plans, particularly, the production stages. I made my way out of the Citadel and into the general city, following the map I possessed which ensured that I never got lost, before eventually finding myself standing at a building.

 **Yuki no Kuni Technological Research and Development Division**

I sauntered my way inside, immediately drawing looks from many people who realized that their newest Daimyo was present.

"Is that?"

"It's him – the new Daimyo –"

"Shepherd-sama? Shepherd-sama is here?"

I paid little heed to the idle and excited chitter-chatter, before merely smiling at the gathered workers,

"May I know who is in charge here?"

"Eh – that would be me," a somewhat young, bespectacled and bearded man approached, wearing a labcoat that was stained with oils and different other assortment of colors which I could only wager a guess to.

"Hasshinsha Hatsumei." I greeted, delighting in his momentary surprise, "A pleasure to meet you."

"E-eh – yes, a pleasure to meet you as well Daimyo-sama," he said, recollecting himself "may I know what brings you down here Daimyo-sama?"

I smiled. "I merely wanted to meet the genius mind behind the revolutionary Chakra Armor, and the Weather Regulation System."

"E-e-eh – you – ah – you flatter me, Daimyo-sama. It is merely out of necessity that we build what we have." The man adjusted his glasses with his middle finger, "E-eh however, Daimyo-sama, the Chakra Armor is still in its experimental stages… how is it, that you came by the knowledge of it?"

"I am a holy man, Hatsumei-san. It is the same way I knew your name even before I met you. You may not place much stock in it, but the Divine – he is real, and he is powerful." I shook my head, "Regardless, that is not the reason why I am here. I am here to aid _you_ , and to help you do whatever it takes to complete the Chakra Armor, to reinvent the trains – and then, _go beyond_."

"E-e-eh – beyond, Daimyo-sama?"

I nodded, grinning for the first time.

"Tell me Hatsumei-san, what do you know of Nature Chakra Theory?"

* * *

 **XXXX**

* * *

The benefits of the **Legendary Master** title, when working in collaboration with high **A-Rank Luck** , **S-Rank Charisma,** and **Tutoring** as a skill, equaled a completely asinine level of work-ethic and production rate.

As it turned out, my **Tutoring** skill when combined with all the above, actually exceeded my own limitations and capacity. I had casually told the kitchen chef an interesting way to make a meal (pizza) from my home world, and I watched as she went and created a perfect pepperoni pizza that almost had me mouth-watering at the taste. From there on, she somehow reverse-engineered other recipes, from vegetable pizza, to chicken pizza, and on and on, until she created _apple pie_.

The thing was, I didn't even know _how_ to make pizza. Or, more accurately, I had the vague idea as to what you did, how you beat the dough and spun it and what not, but I'd never actually made one before. Yet, from my vague instructions, numerous masterpieces emerged.

Likewise, I had once jokingly jested to Haku about a fascinating form of dancing (salsa), and playfully twirled her around and watched her mortified, blushing expression… and then, just like that, I watched her not only _master_ the dance to such nigh-perfect precision, but she went out of her way and learned _ballet,_ without even realizing what it was.

She learned _ballet_ from _salsa_.

Gods, I felt overpowered.

Sure, I was 'weak' in the contemporary sense of 'power' considering I couldn't drop meteorites from the sky at a whim and summon giant spectral avatars to fight – but this – here – the little things that I could do that made such a significant difference – that was where my power lied.

Of course… if I could twirl around a little girl and watch as she mastered dance from that tiny action, and went on to discover a whole different branch of it… you could clearly imagine the outcome, of what happened, when I gave _in-depth, insightful_ lessons to a whole group of workers and inventors about the nature and applications of all forms and types of chakra.

The result?

"H-eh – I swear, Daimyo-sama, we had no idea what came over us. It was like… our minds were open. Like we could _understand_ things like never before – it was a furious frenzy of invention and tinkering, with very little sleeping – and – well – we did it."

"You… you completed the Chakra Armor?"

"E-eh – we did an even better one, Daimyo-sama. We _revolutionized_ it." Hatsumei declared.

I stood in the laboratory, surrounded by tired-looking scientists and engineers, with Hatsumei standing in front of them, the most tired looking of all of them. In front of me, a large white tarp covered an item, and I could almost feel my mouth water in anticipation of what device had been created.

"E-eh, I present to you, Daimyo-sama – the **Chakra Armor, Mark II.** "

He dragged the tarp off, and I came face to face with –

"Is – is this supposed to be some sort of joke?" I felt my right eye become very, very tempted to begin twitching.

"Ah – no – not at all Daimyo-sama. This is the reworked and significantly improved model."

"Why… does it look like…?"

"E-eh – ah – the new material used for the armor is an organic-synthetic hybrid of made of polyether-polyurea copolymer microparticles. We emulsified it with surfactants and –"

"It's _latex_." I interrupted, unable to hide my exasperation. "The Chakra Armor is less of an armor, and more of a _latex suit_."

"Ah w-well," Hatsumei coughed awkwardly and adjusted his glasses, "Considering the purpose of the Chakra Armor is not to weather physical attacks, but to rather focus on the absorption, assimilation and redistribution of chakra – we revised our designs to enable it to be worn stealthily to avoid extensive scrutiny."

"What part of _shiny black latex_ do you believe is _stealthy?_ "

"Ah – for starters, Daimyo-sama – I do not believe that anyone would suspect a _latex suit_ to be the culprit responsible for the failure of their chakra-based technique to affect their opponents."

"…Fair point." I conceded. "Although, I have a feeling that was not the _only_ reason you changed the appearance."

Hatsumei coughed even harder. "Eh – Ah… well – our design team happens to be female – and… once they realized that they would be making armor for _you_ Daimyo-sama, they may have… er… gotten carried away."

"For me? Why would –"

Oh. That's right. I was _handsome_. Ridiculously, over-the-top handsome. Of _course_ they'd want to see me in skin tight latex. Again, I never believed that this would be an issue. How wrong I was. I rubbed my nose slowly. Deep breaths.

"Does the change in design hinder any of the features?"

"Ah – not in the slightest Daimyo-sama. Rather… it accomplished the opposite. The slimmer design enabled us to be capable of maximizing the armor's absorption index – whilst at the same time providing a far-durable pseudo-exoskeletal defense. The material boasts of a tensile strength and durability at least a hundred times that of spider silk. Believe me when I say this Daimyo-sama, the aesthetics of the Armor grossly undersells its true capabilities."

I looked over the material again, the shiny material that looked like it would not be out of place in an S&M room – and I could immediately understand Hatsumei's comment. _No one_ would be expecting something like this to be capable of providing any sort of defense. It would be like going into battle against someone wearing a bikini, and then expecting the bikini to be bulletproof. It just did not happen.

Unless of course, you were using video-game logic.

"Fascinating as that is, I don't think we can call it **Chakra Armor** anymore with such a design. **Chakra Suit** would be more appropriate."

I turned back to Hatsumei.

"Now, tell me – what exactly does it do?"

The inventor pushed his glasses up, and smiled.

"Ah… how about, I _show_ you."

* * *

 **XXXX**

* * *

"Ah – eh – Utilizing a lot of your theories truly helped us, Daimyo-sama, and I feel you are amazingly educated for a religious man. That law you told us – the Laws of Thermodynamics, I believe you called it – enables us to make great strides in our progress."

We walked down the hallway of the **TRDD** , heading to a designated test room, and I took my time to engage in a discourse with Hatsumei, whilst also taking in a full view of all the faces I encountered on the way.

"How so?" I spoke up, my mind partially on the conversation, and partially focused on some of the female scientists.

"Eh – Chakra, it seems, also tends to follow this law. Energy can neither be created nor destroyed, merely transferred from one form to another. Chakra, in turn, cannot be created from nothing, or destroyed into nothingness – but merely changing forms accordingly." Hatsumei explained.

At first, I wondered if he was explaining for my benefit, which would have been odd, until I noticed two interns behind us, rapidly scribbling on notes.

"Ah – A chakra technique that generates a large ball of fire, for instance – the originating energy source is the technique's caster, and chakra is converted from it's normal form into fire – heat energy."

I nodded. "You remembered our discussion."

"Eh – That I did Daimyo-sama." Hatsumei said, "Continuing with our fire-ball technique analogy, I ask what would happen in the case dispersion of excess chakra – excess energy. Let's say, for instance, the technique creator has horrible chakra control – he uses far too much chakra for the fire ball, and only a small gout of flame erupts. So where, then, does the excess chakra go? The answer had baffled me for so long, until, you came along with your Nature Chakra Theory. Then – it all made sense."

We took a turn down the right, and I memorized the route on my minimap, whilst taking in some of the other sights. A room where a form of kunai launcher was being developed, a room where people seemed to be working on aerodynamic designs, and a room where people where experimenting with what looked like animals.

"Eh – just as my cup of hot coffee I leave on the table and forget to drink will tragically reduce in temperature until its internal temperature is equal to that of the room – excess chakra deposited in the environment created by people will eventually fade into the ambient chakra of that environment. It will become one with the world's Natural Chakra. The energy is effectively transferred."

We finally took one more left turn, reaching a room designated **Chakra Armor Test Room**. Within the room, there was what appeared to be a large, heavy-duty glass-wall that was reinforced with more steel than I thought available in this world. On the other side of the glass, was an open, expanded room. It almost reminded me of a police interrogation room to an extent – although far more science-oriented, and a quick use of **Observe** guaranteed me that the glass was not one-way.

"While it is truly fascinating to know that you have grasped my lessons on the thermodynamics of chakra and the nature chakra theory… none of this explains how you have improved the **Chakra Suit.** "

"Ah – yes, I'm getting there." Hatsumei said, "You see Daimyo-sama, as you know, the original design for the Chakra Armor was to allow for the dispersion and redistribution of chakra upon contact. Fire based chakra would dwindle into nothingness. Wind would be but a light gust. Lightning would fizzle into nonexistence. Water would lose its momentum and become but mere splashes. Earth would crumble into dust."

As he said this, the light of the testing room went on, and on the other side of the reinforced glass, I noticed a young woman with slightly braided hair come out, wearing… the _**Suit**_ **.**

 _Damn that latex… damn those curves…_

I cleared my throat. "Is there… a particular reason why the person demonstrating for us is female?"

Hatsumei slowly adjusted his glasses. "Ah – would you rather prefer it was one of our male interns?"

I turned around to look at the bunch – scraggly, unattractive looking things with heavy acne. Hatsumei's hidden meaning immediately clicked in my head:

 _Would you want to see a bunch of scraggly nerds in skin-tight latex?_

"Carry on with the presentation." I said without missing a beat.

 _Don't stare at the nipples – don't stare at the cameltoe – don't stare at the nipples – don't stare at the cameltoe –_

Hatsumei smiled, his lips twitching. "Eh – as I was saying Daimyo-sama, the problem with the former design was that there was a specific limit in which the Armors could take. Like a storage scroll if you will. Too much chakra, or too much _concentrated_ chakra in one location would immediately overload the Armor's ability to absorb and redistribute. It would cause the armor to fail and be damaged."

I remembered that. In the movies, the prototype version that Doto wore eventually shattered with the _Seven-Colored Rasengan_ that Naruto pulled out of his ass. The attack broke through the armor, and ended up killing Doto.

"Eh – ah - however, since the armor's major problem was that it could only handle so much before reaching its max critical, we were able to design a solution. _What if the armor has no max critical?_ "

I watched as the woman in latex leapt and jumped, turning and stretching to prove that the material was flexible… _very_ flexible… considering that it hugged her body like a second skin, I did not expect that level of flexibility.

"Eh – essentially, the armor is a valve. Chakra comes in one direction, parts of it are repurposed and re-distributed to the wearer, and then any excess of chakra is dispersed _outwards_ , into the environment as Nature Chakra."

Hatsumei moved over to a control panel, before pushing a button. Immediately, the other side of the room lit up in an explosion of what my senses could detect as nothing but _pure_ chakra – an overwhelming amount. Despite being protected by a thick layer of steel and glass, I felt the room shake from the force.

Dust and smoke kicked up for several seconds, and everywhere was quiet. We waited with baited breath, until, the smoke and dust settled, and the young woman in the latex suit stood, perfectly and completely unharmed. If anything, she looked somehow _fresher_ than she did before the explosion detonated. Judging by her bre –

I cleared my throat. "So, the armor is capable of withstanding all forms of external chakra, without overloading and being damaged, by sending out the excess amount as Senjutsu chakra?" I said, summing up Hatsumei's words, "I can understand that… but why does she look…"

"Eh… more _vibrant?_ " the inventor supplied, "Ah – that, Daimyo-sama is due to brilliance of this design. With the suit now dispersing nature chakra from its own excesses, this nature chakra clings and coagulates around the suit and the wearer like an invisible layer. Realizing that this was happening, I immediately made adjustments to the material which enabled it to _re-absorb_ the excess nature chakra that it was generating."

My brain short-circuited.

I snapped my head over to Hatsumei, not even bothering with any form of my usual elegance and behavior.

"You – _you what?_ "

The scientist was grinning.

"Ah – that's not all Daimyo-sama. While doing this, I struck upon an epiphany. _Why not redesign the armor to be capable of doing the exact opposite?_ " He said, grin growing wider and wider. "The armor absorbs external forces of chakra, uses it to supplement and enhance the user and armor and then converted excesses into nature chakra to avoid overloading. So, why not _absorb_ nature chakra – use it to supplement and enhance the user and the armor, and then convert the excesses into a hybrid of nature chakra and normal chakra, launched in the form of offensive attacks?"

I did my best not to breathe too hard. But I couldn't help it, I couldn't help it as I snapped my gaze back on the latex body-hug armor, almost yelling out _**OBSERVE.**_

 **Mastercraft Item**

 **Senjutsu Super Suit**

 **Durability: N/A**

 **An immensely upgraded version of the classic Chakra Armor. If the Chakra Armor can be likened to a bicycle, then this super suit is a spaceship. The Suit performs two functions:**

 **First, it enables for the absorption of all Chakra from all sources, negating all ninjutsu and genjutsu cast on it, and is prevented from overloading by converting the excess chakra into Nature Chakra.**

 **Second, it absorbs Nature Chakra into the suit, and not the wearer, and this nature chakra is mixed with the regular chakra within it, to create Sage Chakra, thus empowering the suit with all the benefits of Senjutsu.**

 **Effects:**

 **Unlocks Senjutsu Techniques**

 **Grants +110 to Strength, Agility, Perseverance and Endurance**

 **Grants +100% Bonus Damage/Effectiveness to all cast Ninjutsu/Genjutsu**

 **Grants +200% Range and Effectiveness to Chakra Sensing**

 **Grants +17500 Defense**

 **Negates Incoming Ninjutsu**

 **Negates Incoming Genjutsu**

 **Bonus/Hidden Effects:**

 **Enables Chakra Drain**

 **Negates Certain Fuinjutsu via Chakra Absorption**

"He… hehe… hehehehe…. HahahahahHAHAAHAHAAHAHAHAHAAHAHAHAAHAHA!"

 _OHMYGOD!_

"HATSUMEI YOU BEAUTIFUL GENIUS!"

I grabbed the man by the shoulders and embraced him into a bone-crushing hug. I kissed his forehead for good measure – because _fuck_ he deserved it.

 _A SENJUTSU SUPER SUIT!_

 _I. HAVE. A. SENJUTSU. SUPER. SUIT!_

People spent _years_ and _years_ trying their hardest to master Senjutsu and do it without turning to stone. Many failed – hundreds, if not thousands died – and even the most skilled of shinobi couldn't use Senjutsu.

 _And now – I have a suit that can do it for me._

It was ridiculous – absolutely bloody ridiculous –

 _This is what it means to work_ _ **smart**_ _, not hard._

Fuck the Sharingan. Fuck the Rinnegan. Fuck grinding like a maniac. Fuck all the bullshit that people did in order to get power. _This was where it was at._ A great kickboxer could train for every single day of his life and still get taken down by a paraplegic with a shotgun.

Innovation – tools – the power of humanity. Humans were never the fastest animal, nor the strongest, and one-on-one, a human would get his ass kicked by a gorilla or a lion or any other predator of the animal kingdom. Put then put a _tool_ in the human's hands, a _weapon –_

 _And they became unstoppable._

"You've done great work here Hatsumei," I said, after recollecting myself. "You can expect a large, extravagant paycheck and enough money and women than you know what to do with."

"Ah – thank you Daimyo-sama, I don't know what to –"

"But we're not done yet." I spoke up.

"E-eh – we – we're not?"

I shook my head. "As it stands, the Suits are powerful and dangerous – but they'll be even more so if they get into the wrong hands. Effective immediately, the Chakra Suit is a State Secret of the Land of Snow, in which exposing said secret will lead to execution by drowning."

The temperature in the room chilled considerably.

"Moreover, I can't let anyone else have access to this sort of technology, so I need you to develop a lock-mechanism for the suit – or perhaps, an access platform. Since it absorbs Chakra, a Chakra-recognition system should be implanted immediately, and should anyone with unauthorized chakra or access attempt to utilize it, or, to as much as _touch it_ – there should be dire consequences."

Technology this powerful could lead to people revolutionizing the world, if not outright conquering it. I was _not_ going to take any chances or risks of this technology landing in the hands of Danzo, or anyone, period. And if they _did_ somehow manage to get it – I would need to ensure that they could not use it.

"I think I'll add several fuinjutsu blood recognition seals as well, when I bring my Fuinjutsu up to par. There's no such thing as being _too_ cautious." I mused silently.

I'd also have to keep calling it a _Chakra Suit_ rather than a _Senjutsu Super Suit_ just to throw off enemies. The fewer people who knew of its true capabilities, the better.

"Now, snap to it! I want this done and I want it done immediately. Also…" I rubbed my chin slowly, "Tell me Hatsumei… the applications of this technology we have… how far can we push it… for instance, how would chakra fair as an alternative, clean form of energy?"

I watched the gears slowly turn in the Scientist's head.

"Oh… that would be… interesting."

I grinned.

"Of course it will be. Come now Hatsumei – there's no time like the present – because now, now – the future awaits."

* * *

~~~~~~~~~~~ Son of Gato ~~~~~~~~

* * *

 **Year Five – Month Twelve, Day Twenty Five**

The days began to blur into each other, with my administrative duties as the Daimyo, my visits and check-ins with Hatsumei, providing new ideas for the inventor to invent, and then supervising Kimimaro's Wind Chakra training, and finally, working on my own **Apprentice Level Fuinjutsu**.

Haku was busy torturing – er, I mean _training_ Koyuki – ensuring that the girl wasn't _completely_ useless and defenseless, and Kitami spent his time sharpening his blades, his wits and his tongue – as I eventually discovered that the man had taken to gambling and womanizing. Not that I could complain anyway.

One of the most amazing things that I planned on accomplishing for Yuki no Kuni was yet to arrive, although, the railway system was rapidly gaining favor amongst the citizens, particularly when the entire continent was a frozen landmass and the trains possessed an internal heating system.

I planned on eventually shipping engineers and train technology over to the Land of Water, integrating it there, before moving it to the Land of Wind. That poverty ridden hellhole was in due of a complete revolution. For now though, I was just having a little bit of fun.

"Alright, now, right foot forward, left foot back – yes, yes, you're getting it."

The Polar Bear in front of me moved forward, standing straight, before it began sliding backwards on both feet, its head in the air, its paws outstretched in a wavy pattern. It grunted a bit, before spinning around, shooting one paw into the air, and the other down to the ground, and tilting forward with the hat I had placed on its head.

"And that," I said, turning around to a group of gathered children staring with wide eyes, "is how you teach a Polar Bear to moonwalk. Any questions?"

"AWESOME!"

"Shepherd-sama is the best!"

"Can I dance him? Can I? Can I?"

"I wanna dance with the polar bear too!"

I smiled. "Of course, of course, Rupert doesn't mind. Do you Rupert?"

" _Will you give me more food?"_ The bear grunted.

I rolled my eyes. _"As much as you want._ "

" _Fine._ "

I watched as the children moved to interact with the dancing Polar Bear, Rupert, who, with the aid of **Tutoring** , I had trained to be capable of communicating with me in grunts, and trained to, well… _dance._

 _Max Skills for the win._

Still, I was unable to resist eavesdropping on the hushed whispers of their parents from behind.

"Shepherd-sama… such a powerful man."

"He actually tamed that polar bear?"

"Tamed it? He taught it how to dance… in _thirty minutes._ "

"I always thought all the Gatoists were talking out of their ass, but seeing _this_ –"

"I'm just glad he's our Daimyo. This man… no… this _being_ – he – there's no way he's human."

"What else could he be?"

"There's a polar bear twirling your daughter in its paws right now. What else could be capable of making something like that possible… what… _if not a god?_ "

 _Ping!_

 **Miracle System**

 **Tales of your magnificent, seemingly impossible deeds have spread long enough, that people have begun to question if you are truly a mere mortal, or if you are a divine being descended to the world in flesh and blood.**

 **You have unlocked new special abilities!**

 **A Shepherd and His Flock**

 **All of your [Devout] and [Fanatical] Followers now learn skills 35% faster, and are granted with 50% of your Luck stat.**

 **Dreaming Sheep**

 **You can now enter and manipulate the dreams of your most [Devout] and [Fanatical] followers.**

 **Let Thy Will Be Done**

 **You can now locate, influence, see-through the eyes of, hear through the ears of, and speak directly to the minds of your most [Devout] and [Fanatical] followers, irrespective of range.**

And so it came to pass… that I found myself with the most useful espionage technique in the entire world.

 _Prepare yourself world. Prepare yourself… because the Shepherd is here –_

 _And he shall conquer you._


	12. Interlude I: Drums of War

**I am genuinely insulted as to how people underestimate my intellect and/or ingenuity. Do you really think I'll write a story without conflict? If I wanted to stroke my own dick that hard, I'd go masturbate.**

* * *

 **Son of Gato**

* * *

 **Interlude I: Drums of War**

* * *

 **Three Years Later**

 **Konohagakure no Sato**

"For how long will we continue with this policy of reconciliation that you seem to be so fond of, Hiruzen?"

A crisp, cold voice echoed out in the general meeting room of the Hokage's Tower, where the elders gathered, sat, and discussed. The voice came from one old man with an x-shaped scar on his chin, with one eye of his covered, and his voice extremely and exceedingly stern.

"And you would prefer open warfare, would you not?" Hiruzen Sarutobi, the Professor, the God of Shinobi, spoke.

" _They_ ," Danzo said, enunciating the word as though it were a venomous snake "Came to _our_ country. With faux pretenses of peace and nonsensical talks of treaties. I had my misgivings from the beginning, and I _informed_ you of them – but you chose not to listen."

"And now? Now – after their Head Ninja attempted and failed to capture the Byakugan – failed to escape with the Hyuga Heiress – they cut off all ties and play a pathetic façade of being the offended party. Yet, curiously, they have the _gall_ to demand from us… _compensation?_ "

The remaining two elders and distinguished shinobi in the room watched the exchange between light and dark like children seeing a butterfly emerging from a cocoon. This situation, watching the conflicting ideologies between Danzo and Hiruzen, had become the norm in the past three years.

"And for some reason, you wish to actually _grant_ them their desire? To hand over a capable man to his death? To _weaken_ ourselves and cave in like a bullied child to _them_?" Danzo almost growled. "Because _they_ threaten _us_ with open warfare if we choose not to?"

"You disappoint me Hiruzen."

The temperature in the room chilled.

"You will remember where you are and who you are speaking with, _Danzo_."

"I remember very clearly." Danzo replied. "I remember that I am not the man in the chair. For if I were, this conversation would not even be occurring. I am, however, on the Council of Konoha, and my interests include what is best for the village."

Hiruzen glared, the man's face stony as steel. "Three years ago, we lost a great deal of our shinobi to the Kyubi's attack. There are many still grieving, and we have yet to return to our full strength. Seven years before that, we were thick in the midst of the Third Shinobi World War. Dozens of shinobi, of good men and women lost their lives fighting." Hiruzen shook his head. "I do not wish for the same to occur again."

"The life of one man in exchange for the lives of the many." Danzo said slowly. "How ironic is it that this ideology appeals to you when on the defensive, yet, when I ask you to hand me the Kyubi Jinchuriki to be trained under my care – this very ideology appalls you."

"This is _not_ the time to bring up that topic."

"I suppose it is never the time to point out a man's hypocrisy."

"Danzo that's enough!" Koharu Utatane chided, glaring at her former teammate. "I don't know what has happened to you in the past few years, but you used to be far more collected."

"No, what I used to be was indirect and elusive. Playing a game of words and pointless subtlety and bickering. But I have neither the time nor patience for any of that anymore." Danzo spat. "There are unforeseen threats out to the North. Enemies with unknown capabilities and potential that I spend my every waking moment attempting to prepare for, while all of you sit down content and blinded by this pitiful delusion of _peace_."

Homura sighed. "He's talking about Yuki no Kuni again…"

"A country where no spies return. Where no diplomatic envoys are allowed. Where foreign shinobi are immediately either turned away or executed, a 'Holy Land' led by a religious leader who happens to be our country's Daimyo-sanctioned _Enforcer_ and you expect me to leave it be?"

"Enough." Hiruzen spoke. "We did not gather to discuss Yuki no Kuni –"

"That is true. We came here to discuss your cowardice in handling Kumo."

"Danzo –" Koharu warned.

"Do we no longer call a spade a spade?" Danzo said "Let us look at the situation with Kumo and the Hyuga as it is."

He turned to Homura.

"You offer a man a hand of peace. He slaps aside your hand and attempts to rip out your tongue. You bite down on his hand, eliminating his fingers, and he recoils in pain. Then, claiming he never meant to rip out your tongue, he draws a kunai and demands your eye as compensation for his fingers, or he takes your life."

He turned to Hiruzen.

"And then you give him your eye."

The room was surprisingly quiet.

"Tell me Hiruzen, if this is not cowardice, then what is?"

"Wisdom." Hiruzen said calmly. "You lose your eye, so you may not lose your life, or lose more than your eye should you chose to fight."

"That would apply only if you were _weaker_." Danzo argued, "But if you are stronger – strong enough to oppose your attacker, defend yourself and ensure that you lose nothing from the exchange – would you still hand out your eye?"

The answer was clear to everyone in the room. Clear enough that no one needed to respond to it.

"To bend over to Kumo's wishes is to tell the world that Konoha is weaker." Danzo declared. "We, the first Shinobi village, whose founder captured all nine biju, and who _gave_ them away to the other villages – are now weak, caving to the demands of a village who would never have existed without _our_ founder."

The man with the x-shaped scar stared across his companions.

"Is this the message you wish to send to the world?"

In another world, another time, under other circumstances, Danzo Shimura would never be so bold. So blunt and direct. He would have done his best to remain unseen and unnoticed, sticking to the shadows and operating by subtle coercion and means. He and Hiruzen would have engaged in a battle of covert and subtle, hidden exchanges over this topic, and at the end, his own opinions would be disregarded by the Sandaime Hokage, and his influence would have done very little.

But things had changed. The Daimyo picking a random person as the Enforcer of the Land of Fire had put Danzo on high-alert. The rapidly spreading religion and its implications also caused Danzo more and more unease. Then, the fact that this Enforcer had holed away himself to the Northern part of the world, a winter wasteland, and had declared this place a holy city was even more disconcerting. There was a complete lack of information in that city – and none of the agents he sent there had succeeded in infiltrating.

Then, there was Kirigakure – a land which was supposed to be a bloody nightmare, transformed into a sprawling, developing economy, advancing faster and faster with each passing day, booming and becoming more prosperous. Information and spies were easier to place there – and the news Danzo received of the place was frightening. Their advancement was dangerous. Their progress was deadly. The world was not a place which enabled you to celebrate the success of others. Because the success and progress of other people often came at the detriment of your own.

Customers. Business. Trade. Resources. Tourism.

The richer and more developed Kirigakure and the Land of Water became, the inverse it would be for other countries and hidden villages. Already, minor hidden villages were seeing a rapid decrease in Tourism and Shinobi Missions. People wanted to hire Kirigakure-nin – people wanted to travel to the Land of Water and see its majestic wonders and experience its high-end technology.

And all of this progress – all of this change – it was one man behind it all. His name was on every piece of technology. His name was on every aspect of development. He was the one spear-heading all of it – he was the one who transformed an entire country within the span of a few years.

So Danzo feared what this same man would do, alone and unchecked in a secluded part of the world.

He could no longer afford to be a passive player on the grand stage. Not when the future progress of his village was no longer guaranteed. He could not fight The Shepherd in the dark. Covertness and subterfuge, reconnaissance and defamation – none would be enough on its own to take down such a man. Hence, Danzo Shimura, the Darkness of Konoha –

Came into the light.

Hiruzen would never have been swayed by his old method of doing things. No, Hiruzen would have continued to either ignore his recommendations, or outright refuse them. But by instead, cloaking all his motives and motivations in furious nationalism and pride, bluntly declaring and baring them, bathing and embalming them in his clear strength of _conviction_ and _pride_ in his village, in Konoha –

"No." Hiruzen spoke. "No, it is not."

 _He could succeed._

* * *

 **XXXX**

* * *

"Another one."

"Er… are you sure – you've had quite a lot –"

"Did I stutter?"

"W-well no –"

"Am I not paying for the drinks?"

"W-well yes – but –"

"Then swallow your opinions that I didn't pay for, and make yourself useful with another drink."

The nineteen year old Chunin sat in the bar, her enchanting red eyes intimidating the bartender enough for him to wisely keep his mouth shut and do his job. To her side, a loud sharp whistle broke the awkward silence.

"Damn girl. Keep that up and people will be calling you 'Ice Queen' in a couple of years."

Her red eyes turned, noting and identifying the flak jacket of a fellow Chunin beside her, albeit slightly younger in age. Other than the flak jacket, what she wore could barely be considered clothing – as a pair of mesh, fishnet shorts extended from below, and wrapped in bandages enabled her legs and skin to be seen from the thigh downwards. The younger girl, who should be fifteen or sixteen, clearly cared little for her lack of modesty, as she sat unbothered.

The red-eyed Chunin knew who the younger black-haired one was. It was hard not to – as ex-apprentices of Sannin were so low in demand.

"Mitarashi-san." She greeted curtly, with a tilt of the head.

"Pft! Cut with all that honorific stuff! It's Anko. Preferably _Anko-chan_. Or maybe _Anko-sama_ if we want to get kinky." The girl wagged her eyebrows, a gesture that the older Chunin found amusing.

"So, are you going to tell me your name or take a long swig and tell me to fuck off?" Anko asked, "I wouldn't mind if you did both though – so long as I get your name I'm still golden."

The wagging eyebrows, and the tone of banter brought the older woman to one conclusion.

"How old are you… exactly?"

Anko grinned. "Old enough to know what I want."

The red-eyed chunin rolled her eyes. "And that would be?"

"Finding out what a girl like you is doing in a place like this."

The older Chunin couldn't keep the twitch that escaped her lips. "Cute. But I'm not interested."

" _Yet_." Anko responded, grinning cheekily. She laid back on her chair throwing her arms behind her head. "Trust me – it's only a matter of time."

The red-eyed Chunin shook her head, before slowly swirling her cup in her hand. She rose it to her lips, slowly, and then she drowned everything in one gulp, feeling as it burned down her throat and letting herself wince slightly at the sensation.

"Yeah, that Gat-Vodka really hits the stuff doesn't it." Anko said with a pleased sigh, "Way stronger than anything I've ever tasted. Heard it comes straight from Mizu no Kuni… I think it's gonna be selling a lot now that… you know."

"Now that we're at war." She responded with a bitter chuckle.

Anko winced. "Yeesh, I'm guessing that's why you're not exactly in the greatest mood right now."

"What gave it away?" she laughed sardonically.

"The slouch and the grouch mostly." Anko said. "But… well, mostly people get drunk and despair in bars _during_ the war, or _after_ it – not before."

She stared into her cup for a few seconds.

"Three years ago, my father died protecting the village from the Kyubi attack." She said. "I, like many others, wanted to defend the village too. I wanted to help repel the beast – but I was stopped. My father stopped me from fighting. Do you know why?"

She turned her gaze to the younger Chunin, who sat, unsure of how to look or what to say.

"He said I shouldn't help fight against the beast. He said that it wasn't a war. It was an internal village issue, and that as that we are shinobi, our lives are brief. He said he wanted me to live long enough to ensure that a next generation, that our generation, would survive and inherit the Will of Fire."

She clenched her hands around the mug.

"And then he died."

"Wow… I-I- that's… kind of heavy." Anko said, awkwardly rubbing her shoulders as she seemed to find trouble finding a good way to sit.

"And now, three years after his sacrifice… we're going to fight a war. So… what was the point? Why did he have to sacrifice himself?"

"Woah woah woah – hold it there –" Anko said, "You're still alive aren't you? His sacrifice wasn't in vain as long as you keep on kicking – I mean, it's not like you're counting on dying during the war –"

"Does anyone who ever dies in a war count on themselves dying?"

"That doesn't mean _you're_ going to die –"

"No. It just means _people_ will die." She shook her head. "Good people. Strong people. Innocent people. People who just want to live their lives. Shinobi. Civilian. That's how war is."

The two sat, the sound of nothing but ambient background chatter echoing amongst them.

"Shit that's depressing."

She chuckled, before raising her cup. "That it is."

"But that's the way things kind of are. We knew what we signed up for when we became shinobi."

"Did we? Did we really?"

The younger girl didn't respond, instead, her hand moved over to her neck, rubbing it slowly as she made a pained expression.

"No. I guess we didn't." She took in a deep breath. "But – we might as well make the most of it, right? If I'm going to meet the Shinigami at any time – I might as well do it kicking ass, taking names, banging hot guys – or gals, just so you know – and living as large as possible."

Anko grinned, turning to her acquaintance.

"So we can keep sitting here, moping over stuff we can't change – or we could be elsewhere, adding another fucking fantastic moment to our lives. Three guesses as to which is more fun."

The older Chunin's lips twitched. "I wasn't moping."

"Uh-huh." Anko said dryly. "And I'm a divine priestess of Gatoism."

"I was just…" she stopped, seeing the younger woman's gaze, and feeling her cheeks heat up. "Okay, maybe I was moping just a _little_."

"Hey, we can't be all sunshine and happiness all things considering." Anko said, shrugging. "I think every shinobi falls into a slump or feels low every now and then. Some kick back faster than ever – and others, well… others never get out."

Both ladies vision caught a glance of long spiky white hair and a face-mask, moving outside the bar.

"But… we can try to get them out. Right…?"

"We can." Anko nodded. "Cause if we Konoha shinobi can't help each other out – then, who can?"

The fishnet wearing teen shot a wide grin.

"Maybe, if you help enough of them… one day, they'll learn to help you too. They'll help you… even when you can't help yourself."

It was an odd meeting for an older Chunin, meeting a younger, quirkier girl who blatantly attempted to flirt with her in a bar. A girl with a wide grin and a wider smile, both of which never seemed to reach her eyes.

"Yuhi Kurenai." She introduced herself, gesturing to her sister in arms, whose eyes widened for a fraction of a second, before lighting up.

"And as you know, I am the one and only, sexy and fabulous, super-kunoichi Mitarashi Anko!"

Kurenai chuckled. "Super-kunoichi?"

"What? Is it too much."

Kurenai shook her head. "No. I think… it's just right."

* * *

 **XXXX**

* * *

 **Uchiha Clan Compound**

"Another war." A man said, taking in a deep breath. "Already, the forces mobilize. Already, Konoha begins preparations. To battle, to fight and to bleed – there are chances that this could escalate if the other villages get involved."

"And why do we have to fight for them Fugaku?" An irate older man said, "During the Third Shinobi World War, you were famed as Wicked-Eye Fugaku, and you were dreaded on the battle field just as much as the Fourth. Yet, when it concluded, you got no accolades, no recognition for your skills and efforts – nothing!"

"Not to mention, the entire village secluded us to this compound!"

"They think we're the ones who orchestrated the Kyubi attack! After all these years! After everything the Uchiha Clan has done for this village – if it weren't for us, there would be no Konoha –!"

"The Hyuga were the ones who let their heiress be captured. Why do we have to make up for such incompetence – !"

"Enough." The voice of Uchiha Fugaku cut across the room with impunity.

"In order – we fight for the village because we are a part of this village, and I do not wish to awaken one morning and see my three year old son sprawling dead on the floor at the hands of an enemy." He turned to the older man. "My accomplishments during the Third War and the lack of recognition I received far better suits me than the fancy accolades Namikaze garnered. A famous shinobi is a dead shinobi."

He turned to a younger man. "The Village did not _seclude_ us – rather, this Clan Compound is the largest in the entire village. It is a bit far off from the village itself, granted – however, what you see as seclusion, I see as a chance for distinction."

He turned to someone else, red eyes flaring. "The investigation on the Kyubi attack is still underway – making conjectures at this point is pointless. In time, our innocence will be proven clear, and we do not need to further aggravate the situation with hot-headed sentiment."

And finally, to the last woman, he sneered. "The Hyuga-clan's incompetence notwithstanding, should the heiress have been successfully kidnapped, she would have been used as a breeding mare for Kumogakure. Enslaved and forced to have numerous children at first blood, and breed an army of Byakugan wielders that would be loyal to their village. If the life or suffering of one girl is of no interest to you, do note, that it might as well have been a member of the Uchiha Clan they chose to use as livestock. It could have been _you_."

The silence in the room was absolutely jarring.

"I understand that many of us harbor grudges and grievances towards our treatment in the village, however, now is not the time to focus on it. The model is – me against my brother. Me and my brother against the neighbor. Me, my brother and my neighbor against the stranger." Fugaku declared. "As it stands, Konoha is our brother and neighbor, and Kumo is the stranger. Until we have fought this war and brought victory to the Uchiha-Clan name and Konoha – we will put on hold _all_ grudges and resentment. The Uchiha-Clan is unified with Konoha. Is that clear?"

No one argued. No one could. There was a reason Fugaku was the leader. A reason he commanded such authority and power within the clan.

"Very well." He acquiesced. "Now, unto Police Force business. We will need to double the amount of patrols to deal with possible drunken brawls and other minor crime infringements occurring as a result of Sandaime-sama's declaration of the war. Moreover, we will be working with a Hyuga-clan taskforce and the ANBU in order to prevent possible infiltration attempts. Following that –"

* * *

 **XXXX**

* * *

 **Bounty Hunter Outpost**

"Damn, you really did a nasty one on this guy. But, still identifiable enough… barely –"

"…Are you done?"

"Fine – fine – it's all here. Three million ryo per head." The young bounty dispenser said. "Although, I get a feeling business is going to kick up tons and tons for you."

"How so?"

"Get this, the Sandaime Hokage of Konoha – the God of Shinobi – just declared all-out war on Kumo." The man said, shaking his head. "I mean _Konoha_ declaring a war? Who would have thought that'd ever happen? I thought the tree-lovers were all about peace and flowers and what not."

"He is no God."

"Er… what?"

"Sarutobi Hiruzen – he is no God. I have fought the one and only God of Shinobi – and Sarutobi Hiruzen does not possess even a slither of that man's power. To call him a God is to grant him an accolade he does not deserve."

"I – I don't make up the monikers – I just use them!"

"…very well. Tell me – are the bounties on the Kages still active?"

"Er… yes – I think so, no one ever formally removed them so – h-hey – where are you going you still have to sign the form!"

* * *

 **XXXX**

* * *

 **Amegakure no Sato**

"A war is brewing on the horizon." A man with red hair and purple eyes said, frowning. "This will either make our plans far more difficult, or far easier. The Jinchuriki will be at the forefront of the battles – so we may need to capture them as quickly as possible, or we risk them dying and postponing our plans even further."

"Isn't the war only between Konoha and Kumo?" A blue haired woman responded.

"Depending on who wins or loses the skirmish – the other villages will choose to capitalize on it. Should Konoha seem to be failing, others will immediately seek to topple the giant, and erase it from the pages of history, not unlike they did Uzushiogakure." The red haired man closed his eyes. "Such is the nature of this corrupt world. Volatile, always in chaos. It is in need of proper guidance. We will need to hasten our recruitment plans to accommodate for the change."

The woman nodded. "Sasori and I are still searching. We believe the bounty hunter Kakuzu may join our cause… however, Hoshigake Kisame seems disinterested in joining now that Kirigakure has been… transformed."

"Courtesy of the man who claims to be a messenger of a god?"

"Yes… Gat. He is… adored… in Mizu no Kuni."

"…I see." The red-haired man opened his eyes. "I would want to meet this man who sells falsehood, and see what he does beneath the might of a true god."

* * *

 **XXXX**

* * *

 **Sunagakure no Sato**

"Konoha has declared war." Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage spoke. "Kumo played a gambit against them and failed, and now, for what is the first time in the village's history, they chose to go unto the offensive rather than the defensive."

"What does this spell for us?" An aged man in the meeting room asked.

"It means that we cannot afford to stagnate now. An aggressive Konohagakure is not something the world has ever seen. Many may forget easily, but that village is the only one to have two shinobi from it be declared as God of Shinobi. It is the only one to have produced a shinobi with an SS-Rank 'flee-on-sight' order. Should they choose to like their new taste of militaristic violence – we must be ready."

Numerous murmurings and whispers travelled across the room.

"Effective immediately, a harsher training regimen will be employed on the Suna Fan Corps and Suna Puppeteer Corps. Our village while producing excellent specialized squadron, had very few popular names that can be rallied upon. Pakura and myself notwithstanding, our village's quantity of S-Rank shinobi is sorely lacking. That needs to be corrected, _immediately._ "

In another world, another time, Pakura of the Scorch Release would have died courtesy of the volatile tensions in Kirigakure no Sato, after being sent on an ambassadorial mission, and after her bloodline would have marked her as a target.

But this was not that world.

In this world, Pakura of the Scorch Release was one of most renowned Kunoichi in the world. She was Suna's prominent S-Rank, standing tall with the Fourth Kazekage, Rasa of the Golden Sands.

"Furthermore, we need to seek alliances with other countries – Iwa is least likely, as our dispute for land and territory seems unlikely to end soon. Rather, unexpectedly, Kiri is the perfect choice. In addition –"

* * *

 **XXXX**

* * *

 **Moeru, Land of Fire Capital City**

Another war. Why wasn't she surprised? What else was she expecting? That was the lifestyle that she chose to abandon after all. Pointless fighting, bloodshed and chaos. Still – she knew it shouldn't have bothered her. Yet, it did. It bothered her more than she cared to admit. The world was a different place for a war to occur – especially with so many changes and benefits that the brat she taught had come up with. How would this religion of his handle warfare? How would it handle the chaotic bloodshed?

"Ha! Full house! I can't wait to take off your clothes you big tittied blonde!"

She grit her teeth. _Remember – he's a noble – even you can't attack a noble and get away with it without consequences. Just remember that Tsunade – remember it –_

She turned over her cards –

And instantly felt dread.

"W-w-ah? Royal Flush?! All the same suit?! No way - !"

 _No –_

"Another one?! What the hell?"

 _No –_

"Three in a row – that's bullshit – you – you're cheating! You have to be cheating! No one has luck that good!"

 _No –_

"Four?! FOUR?!

 _No –_

"Someone call security! She's cheating somehow! I know it! NO ONE CAN GET A ROYAL FLUSH FIVE TIMES IN A ROW!"

No one could. Such odds were impossible normally, and for someone like her?

"Shizune… we need to leave. Something… is wrong. Something is very, very wrong."

* * *

 **XXXX**

* * *

 **Land of Hot Water**

 **Yugakure no Sato**

"P-please – please sto – GURK!"

"FUCKING BLASPHEMER!" A silver-haired man, dressed in head to toe in bloody rags screamed at the top of his voice. "FUCKING BLASPHEMERS ALL OF YOU! FUCK YOUR DIVINE! FUCK YOUR SHEPHERD! FUCK! IT! ALL!"

Behind him, a trail of blood seeped into the earth, the man stood, panting, growling, cursing all the way as he stared at the surrounding bodies. To his left, a young body lay, a girl of about five years old, bones broken beyond recognition, clothes torn apart, and body mutilated beyond all recognition.

"FUCKING SHITTY FUCKERS! THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD AND HIS NAME IS JASHIN!"

 _ **Yes… my child… kill them all. Kill the fakers. Tear asunder their nonsense – Carve your way through them with pain and blood –**_

The silver-hairedgrinned satisfied from the voices spurning him on. He spun his attention to the sound of footsteps, his gaze eventually locking on to, and finding the mother and daughter duo that were weeping as they ran.

"Divine help us!"

"Shepherd-sama! Shepherd-sama!"

"FUCK YOU BITCHES!" The silver haired man cackled, blurring forward with a long scythe "THERE IS ONLY ONE GOD! ONE! GOD! AND HIS NAME – IS JASHIN!"

The scythe hit the girl first, slicing off her right arm from the armpit upwards. She screamed, roaring out in pain – for all of a few seconds before the scythe came back down, cleaving her in half from skull to privates. Both parts of her body fell aside to the ground in a spray of guts blood and gore.

"Repeat after me!" The man yelled "THERE IS NO GOD BUT JASHIN!"

The woman, sniveling, and begging for her life conceded "T-t-there is n-no g-god b-but J-J-J-J-"

Her head parted from her shoulders. The movement was fast enough that she did not realize it had happened until it did, and until she was staring up at her now headless body.

 _ **In her final moments… defile her.**_

"Heh – you know Jashin-sama – I fucking love the way you think."

Only the silent sounds of grunting, and heavy yells of "Jashin-sama!" would be heard in the village, as one man, in his rage and immortal fury, slaughtered all those who believed were blasphemers.

Every man, woman, and child.

* * *

 **XXXX**

* * *

 **The Moon**

"Another one. They prepare themselves, yet again, for another war. For more bloodshed and fighting – for more chaos and death. To think that Hagoromo-sama's teachings of ninshu and chakra would have degraded so much."

"Father… the Byakugan Princess… she was almost kidnapped."

"…Yes."

"Why did they want her?"

"For horrible reasons. Very horrible ones."

"Can… can we stop them?"

"I have been thinking about it… yes. We can. No, _we should_. Four Wars between them in less than a hundred years – it seems Hashirama's goal of peace was nothing more than wishful thinking." The man let out a heavy sigh.

"As the descendants of Hamura… it is our duty to end this depraved world."

"Really?"

"Yes. And when the time comes… it will be you, Toneri-kun, who upholds Hamura's will."

"I will do my best father."

"I know you will Toneri-kun. I know you will."


	13. Ripples

**Ah, I love the smell of updates in the morning. Time to let those little fucking butterflies flap their wings and bring on a motherfucking hurricane.**

* * *

"Who are we?"

"We are Konoha!"

"Who are we?"

"We are Konoha!"

"Louder!" The teacher barked. "Louder! Say it with meaning! With conviction! WHO ARE WE?"

"WE ARE KONOHA!"

"WHO ARE WE?"

"WE ARE KONOHA!"

"I SAID WHO ARE WE?!"

" _WE ARE KONOHA!_ "

"Now remember that you brats!" The Chunin Instructor said, glancing at the students standing at attention. "Remember We Are Konoha. That mantra should be in your head, in your mind, in everything you do – you should remember – We Are Konoha. As Konohan Shinobi aspirants it will be your duty, your _responsibility_ to show to the world why Konoha is the greatest nation. Is that clear?"

"Yes sir!" The chants said in unison.

"Now, who is the enemy?"

"Kumogakure sir!"

"Wrong!" The teacher roared. "Everyone _not_ of Konoha is the enemy. Everyone _not_ in Konoha's best interest is the enemy. Everyone _not_ supporting Konoha is the enemy. The very sooner you weak-livered brats understand this, the better!"

The man turned on his heel, marching as he shot his stony gaze to the students in his class. He turned around, a massive sneer on his face as he approached a young blonde-haired boy.

"Uzumaki!"

"Yes sir!"

"How old are you now Uzumaki?"

"Eight years old sir!"

The Chunin instructor sneered. "Eight. Tell me Uzumaki, can you tell me when the _Clods_ ," he spat with distaste "Engaged against war with the great nation of Konoha?"

"Five years ago sir!"

The Chunin nodded. "Five years ago." He spun around, moving to a pink-haired girl. "Tell me Haruno! What happened five years ago that led to the great nation of Konoha engaging in war against the _Clods?_ "

"A representative of the enemy came into our village and attempted to assault a prominent clan heiress, sir."

" _Assault_?" The Chunin instructor sounded baffled. "Did you just attempt to euphemize the disgusting crime committed by an enemy of Konoha?!"

"N-no sir, I did not mean –"

"100 Laps in the Purging Pit Haruno! 100 Laps! NOW!"

"Y-Yes sir!"

The girl ran off, and the Chunin instructor's sneer grew. "It was not an attempted _assault_. We do not sensor the brutal savagery of our enemies. It was _attempted rape!"_ The man roared. "Those sick, fucking _clods_ had a cheap rapist and pedophile as their head ninja. That _sick_ bastard attempted to force himself, _ON A THREE YEAR OLD!"_

The Chunin was fuming. "Upon being killed like the beast he was, their village, had the _audacity_ to ask for compensation. And do you know what we did? Do you know what our leader, the Professor of Shinobi did? Do you know what our War Commander, Shimura Danzo said?"

"WE SAID FUCK THEM!" The Chunin yelled. "FUCK THE CLODS! REPEAT AFTER ME! FUCK! THE! CLODS!"

"FUCK THE CLODS!"

"I CAN'T HEAR YOU!"

"FUCK THE CLODS!"

"AGAIN!"

"FUCK THE CLODS!"

"Good!" The man said, satisfied. "Now, you must remember – we are not fighting men, we are not fighting other people – we are fighting a village of brutes and savages. A village of madness and depravity. You should train not to kill men – but to kill monsters." The Chunin took a deep breath. "For it is only until these monsters are dead, that our home, our loved ones, our fondest memories and cherished moments – shall be safe."

The man clapped loudly. "Now! As today is Tuesday, we shall commence our scheduled survival battle in Training Ground 44. Get your things ready – we leave in ten minutes. Those who are even a _second_ late will be joining Haruno for fifty laps in the Pits."

* * *

"Man, Hitami-sensei is as intense as ever, -ttebayo." A young, blonde-haired boy, dressed in the dark green camouflaged uniform of the Konohan Shinobi Military Academy said, while glancing to his left.

The girl at his side rolled her eyes, grabbing her own uniform from a labelled locker. "You really have to stop that verbal tick of yours Naruto-kun. Also – you better hope he doesn't hear you."

The boy shot out his tongue at her. "Bite me Ten-chan."

"I would, but I don't feel like tasting idiot today." She quipped dryly, taking off her shirt as she began changing.

"Oi! You take that back! I'm a bonafide genius –ttebayo!" The boy said, grinning smugly. "I even help Remi-chan and Hashi with their homework."

"That's because you always get extra lessons, and extra notes, and extra… everything." The girl replied, irritably. "You're the 'Golden Boy' and everyone knows it. It's like everyone _wants_ you to graduate quickly and go fight in the war."

"They just know how awesome I am!" He said with a grin. "With me on the battlefield – the clods won't stand a fucking chance ttebayo."

She rolled her eyes, buckling her shirt. "Or maybe, people just think that because you have blonde hair and blonde eyes, you're the second coming of the Fourth Hokage."

"I think you got it backwards Ten-chan." Naruto grinned. "If anything, the Fourth Hokage was the first coming of _me._ "

"Keep it up, and maybe you might actually win this war by suffocating all the clods with your thick ego."

"Alright Ten-chan," The boy said, turning his blue eyes to her, blue eyes which flashed red for a brief second, as a predatory grin grew on his face "If you think I'm all hot air, how about we go a few rounds in the Burrow – and we'll see how it goes ttebayo?"

The girl gave him a once over, before feeling her eye twitch. "Like I'm going to actually spar with _you_. The only ones who can keep up with you are the Uchiha and the Hyuga. And even then, you're ranked higher than them – Mr. Number One."

"Hah! Chickening out?" the boy made numerous clucking sounds, while flapping his arms. "You know, you _might_ be able to make me break a bit of a sweat if you tried hard enough. What's your ranking again? I tend to forget people whose numbers are more than one digit."

"Ass!" she said, tossing a kunai at him, which he spun around and caught with his pinky, twirling it effortlessly. "I'm ranked number 10! My ranking is my _name!_ You know that!"

"I know, I know, but you're just so easy to tease –ttebayo!"

The girl in question huffed. "If I'd known you'd become a cocky smartass, I'd never have taught you how to do your own laundry. Or cook. Or iron. Or –"

"Yeah yeah I know I know," Naruto waved her off "If we'd never met in the Orphanage, I'd have been screwed trying to learn all that stuff for myself. I really do owe you for that Ten-chan."

The girl in question sighed. "And I guess I _do_ kind of owe you for tutoring me and training me in your free time. I'd never have been ranked in the top ten without your help."

The boy pumped his fist forward. "That's what family is for ttebayo. You rub my chest, and I rub yours."

"… Naruto, that's not how that phrase is used."

"Wait – huh? You sure? I thought the whole point of it was that family was supposed to rub each other?"

Tenten sighed, palming her face. "Combat genius you may be Naruto – but you still have a lot to learn." She shook her head. "Come on – I'm done changing – let's head out before we join Haruno in the Pits."

* * *

 **Konoha – Training Ground Forty Four**

"As always, we will be using real kunai and equipment in this battle. Killing and maiming which leaves permanent damage is strictly forbidden. If you perchance kill your opponent, be prepared to drag your kunai across your own throat, as it would be a mercy compared to what would happen to you otherwise." The Chunin said in a cold, level tone.

Students, all gathered and dressed in the uniform outfits of the academy, stood in a queued line, their hands held to their side as they stood at attention in perfect uniformity.

"Remember, six hours on the clock. The goal is to eliminate as many people as you can." The man paused. "However, today, we will be mixing things up. Academy Points will be awarded depending on the Ranking of who you eliminate."

There was a brief burst of excited chatter, all of which died once the Chunin gave them all a stern glare.

"Yes, yes, Academy Points. The sweet points that you lot exchange for grades, for the opportunity to skip a test or quiz, turn in for food, weapons, jutsu scrolls or private training sessions – or convert it into Ryo and use it as cold hard cash. A single point equals a single ryo – so you had _better_ not waste them. Anyone wasting their points will be immediately stripped of all of them, and will run a thousand laps in the Pit."

There was a thick, silent agreement.

"So, today special rules apply. Points are distributed in a slightly geometric progression. The higher your ranking, the more points you are worth, and the lower, the less. Rank number 30 is worth only 5 points, but rank number 25 is worth 50 points." The Chunin explained. "If you _somehow_ eliminate someone of a higher Rank – for instance, Akimichi with rank number twenty-four, takes down Uchiha, with rank number three – he will receive five hundred and fifty points. Taking down Hyuga, with Rank number two, will award one-thousand five hundred points."

"And what if we take down Uzumaki, sir?"

All eyes turned to the golden boy of the Academy, his face absolutely expressionless.

"One Million Points."

The yellow-haired boy grinned like a maniac.

"Bring it!"

* * *

 _He was a monster._

" _Aw, come on! You guys can't be getting tired already – I'm just getting warmed up!"_

 _No, not a monster. He was untouchable. Strong. Fast. Nigh-impossible to tire out. Seemingly inexhaustible chakra reserves. One which he used to the fullest –_

" _ **Katon: Goukakyu no Jutsu!**_ _"_

" _ **Katon: Goukakyu no Jutsu!**_ _"_

" _ **Katon: Goukakyu no Jutsu!**_ _"_

" _ **Katon: Goukakyu no Jutsu!**_ _"_

" _ **Katon: Goukakyu no Jutsu!**_ _"_

" _Where the fuck does he get that much chakra from?!"_

" _He can spam as many justu as he wants without even breaking a sweat –"_

" _Gah! I'm hit! I'm hit!"_

" _I'm on FIRE! AAAAH! HELP!"_

 _Carnage and fire surrounded one blonde boy as he stood tall over a pile of defeated, unconscious students, his cerulean eyes scanning across the forest as he stretched his arms to the heavens in conquest._

" _BRING IT DATTEBAYO!" He roared "I AM UZUMAKI FUCKING NARUTO!"_

The video recording came to a stop, and Hiruzen Sarutobi, the God of Shinobi, slowly rubbed his nose as he stared at the young flippant blonde in front of him.

"Naruto-kun, do you know why you're here?"

"Because you saw the badass way I took down everyone and you want to finally promote me to Jonin?"

"No." Hiruzen said flatly. "You're here because you sent every single one of your classmates to the Konoha Hospital with varying degrees of burns."

"It's not my fault they're all weak." The boy grumbled.

"Naruto." Hiruzen said sternly.

"It's the truth Hokage-sama." The boy argued, frowning. "I've been Ranked Number 1 for almost two years now –my grades are good enough and my chakra is strong enough – I should have graduated become a Genin long ago – but I'm not! I'm not out there making my first kill because _you_ won't let me!"

"You're not ready for the front lines Naruto."

"Danzo-jiji says otherwise." Naruto argued. "He helps me train – he teaches me cool jutsu – he says I'm ready!"

"Well _Danzo_ is not the Hokage, and my decision is final." Hiruzen said coldly, all traces of his grandfatherly tone gone. "Until you can show some restraint and display an ability to work without causing collateral damage – I cannot let you graduate."

"Restraint? I _was_ showing restraint! Fire isn't even my strongest element – if I'd used the Wind Jutsu that Danzo-jiji taught me – I'd have wiped out everyone in half the time -ttebayo!" He said, growling, "And I depowered the jutsu I used! My fire jutsu can _melt steel_ Hokage-sama! Steel! And I used them at such a low level that no one died and everyone just got a few burns. That's me holding back! I'm _always_ holding back!"

"My decision is _final_ , Naruto."

The boy steamed for a bit, before growling. "Fine _Hokage-sama_." He bit out. "Can I go now? Tenten is waiting for me – we're heading to the orphanage together."

Hiruzen sighed. "Dismissed."

The boy stormed out, leaving the Professor with a bitter taste in his mouth. It pained him to see Minato's son slowly grow more and more volatile and arrogant with power. Yet, Hiruzen knew that this was his fault. He could have visited Naruto, when the boy was still much younger – he could have gone to meet the orphans, as he usually did – and he would have taught him the value of humility and other good virtues.

But the war had not allowed him such time. The war had not allowed him such luxuries – instead – Naruto had encountered Danzo one day, and Danzo had shown interest in the orphan boy – and so, Naruto learned his attitude from Hiruzen's teammate. He could have instructed Danzo to stay away from Naruto – but he believed in his rival, and his rival proved him right by not attempting to turn Naruto into one of his _agents._ Instead, he became a mentor figure to the young Jinchuriki – training him, spurring him on, teaching him –

Then, the Academy Reformation came, and when Naruto entered, he was so far above his peers in skill and talent that it was clear he was a prodigy. With the introduction of the Ranking Systems and Academy Points – he bagged the number one spot for himself, and used his points to gain more jutsu, gain the time of the teachers, and did everything he could in order to become stronger. Naruto was a self-taught prodigy with an obscene amount of skill – the problem was, everyone knew it, and so, he knew it as well. The lack of proper challenges or suitable methods of tests only ended up making the boy develop a distaste for the school, and, eventually, for others.

 _They were slowing him down_.

It was an accurate sentiment – he started despising people because they were not as talented as he was. They did not learn at the astronomical rate that he did, meaning that his time was wasted when people took long to learn concepts and techniques he mastered effortlessly. Soon, this spite translated back to him as arrogance and cockiness. When not even Hyuga Neji or Uchiha Sasuke could keep up with the boy – Naruto was rightly self-assured in his power and position as the best and strongest.

Hiruzen grabbed his pipe, taking a long swift drag from it.

Still, it could have been worse. He could have grown up ostracized, stunted, and weak. The people of Konoha had not honored Minato's last wish – but they hadn't spat on it either. With the war, the increasing amount of propaganda he allowed Danzo to propagate, and the developing Us-Versus-Them mentality that Konoha possessed – Naruto grew up without people hating him or spiting him for something out of his control. The Kyubi Jinchuriki was just another tool that would be used to fight against their _real_ enemies – Kumogakure. Some, particularly those shinobi swayed by Danzo's beliefs and tactics, started doing their best to _help_ the boy in little ways. They wanted him to be _strong_ , for Konoha – they wanted him to be a great weapon that would help against Kumo – a village renowned for having _two_ Jinchuriki. They felt, that one day, it would be Naruto's job and duty to eliminate the enemy Jinchuriki, for the greater good and victory of Konoha.

The problem was, Naruto himself was beginning to think this way as well.

Hiruzen didn't want that to happen. He didn't want the boy to be nothing more than the sum of the tailed beast inside him. Yet, he was rapidly running out of reasons to prevent Naruto from graduating and enter the front lines. Hatake Kakashi, Uchiha Itachi, and even Minato had all graduated younger than Naruto – so his argument for age was irrelevant. His argument for temperament was the only one that was still allowed, but it was a weak one, and Hiruzen himself knew it.

By the end of the Month, Naruto would _have_ to graduate – and he'd have to fight on the front lines. Being an enemy jinchuriki, his chances of dying was at least 60% higher than that of the average shinobi. Considering the average shinobi's chances of dying were already ludicrously high, Hiruzen did not like Naruto's odds.

It was selfish and it was unreasonable, but Hiruzen did not want to be the one who would meet Kushina in the afterlife, and explain to her why her son had died before he did.

"Hokage-sama."

Hiruzen's thoughts ended at the arrival of a Weasel-masked ANBU.

"Report."

"The Kumogakure shinobi seem to be having some difficulty fully taking Yugakure. The borders of the Land of Hot Water are being held by the Jashinists. This is disadvantageous for them, as their forces cannot effectively leave the Land of Lightning without risking a battle against the Jashinist forces. Should they engage, it would leave them open for an ambush by our own men."

Hiruzen sighed, dragging thick smoke with him as he did. The Jashinists – a religion of immortal warriors led by a crazed Priest named Hidan. The primary religious opposition for the Gatoists – in the past five years since the Konoha-Kumo war began, conflicts between these two religious groups had escalated significantly. The problem was – the Jashinists were supposedly immortal, and to attain that immortality – they had to sacrifice lives to their god, and bring upon all sorts of suffering and pain. The allure of being able to torture, rape and murder and get rewarded with _immortality_ for it was a surprisingly effective bargain to many, and hence, most of the Jashinists composed of rogue shinobi, bandits, raiders and other low-life scum of society.

"I see. Anything else?"

Weasel nodded. "Danzo-sama suspects that Kumo may attempt to use the Nadeshiko Isles to launch a surprise attack from the North-East, and to gain control over the ruins of the Land of Whirlpools. From there – they will most certainly launch an invasion of the Land of Waves." Weasel paused. "They may also recruit women of the Nadeshiko village into their fold and send their Kunoichi as assassins."

Hiruzen grimaced. Such an outcome would be highly unfavorable.

"And his proposed strategy?"

"To conquer or eliminate Nadeshiko village ourselves before they are overtaken by Kumo."

Of course it was. That was Danzo's default response to any threat. _Destroy it before it can destroy you_. Hiruzen hated to admit that the strategy was brutally, if not overwhelmingly successful at times. Taking pre-emptive action often eliminated threats before they ever became threats.

"Very well." Hiruzen said, before turning his attention to Weasel. "Continue your observation on Danzo's operations – I want to be fully informed when he does _anything_."

Weasel nodded.

"Also – do remember to take some time to train your brother. If he truly wishes to graduate, to become a shinobi in this war… he will need all the training he can get."

Hiruzen supposed, one of the few good things that came out of this war was the fact that most of the village's suspicion and ill-treatment of the Uchiha Clan had subdued itself in the wake of the war and the greater enemy. If they had escalated, if they had continued – he feared that a great tragedy would have befell the Uchiha – or worse, Konoha would have fallen into a civil war, with the Uchiha being the agitators.

Now? The relationship between the Uchiha Clan and the village had almost completely mended, as the Uchiha Police Force truly aided in keeping the peace and stability in the high-tension environment that came as a result of the war. There was no dissent, and Hiruzen was satisfied to know that the Uchiha Clan would remain a proud clan of Konoha, for many, many years to come.

Perhaps in time, an Uchiha might even find himself becoming the Hokage.

* * *

 **XXXX**

* * *

 **Sunagakure no Sato**

"Agh! This is impossible!"

"Try again." a mature, female voice said.

"But –"

"Try. Again." The voice said, even more sternly. "Your father has the ability to control golden sand. Your brother can control regular sand, and although it is derived from his tailed beast – that ability remains. With your high wind affinity – I believe it is possible for you to equally unlock the Magnet Release style. Bloodlines are often genetic – natures even more so."

The girl being addressed frowned, rubbing her callused hands. "I'm fine with my fans."

"You are the daughter of the _Kazekage_. You may use the fans, but you should not be reliant on it. To become an S-Rank Kunoichi like myself, you have to ensure that you are not a one-trick pony. Do you think that all I can use is Scorch Release?"

"Well, you _are_ called Pakura of the Scorch Release."

"Which is _exactly_ why I learned how to use other techniques that my opponents would never see coming. For instance, Water Natured techniques, and Kirigakure's coveted Silent Killing Technique."

"Whoa – how – where did you even _learn_ that?"

"It is a common misconception that one must be an Uchiha in order to copy jutsu." Pakura responded. "I learned it from someone of the Terumei Clan during my visit to Kiri."

"Can… can you teach me?"

"Master the Magnet Release first… and then we'll see."

~~~~~~~~~~ Son of G

A red haired boy stood in a clearing, taking deep, slow breaths as he examined the area around him, a large, empty field devoid of anything but sand. On the sand, there was a giant stone made of granite. The boy, no older than eight or nine, stared at the stone, before thrusting his hand out, closing his eye, and then clenching his fist.

Sand gathered around the stone, swirling and surrounding it, until, it stopped – and then the sand, the individual granules, all shot forward with a sickening _crack_. Individual pellets of sand rained down on the boulder with each and every one leaving a tiny-subsonic boom as they were propelled at the speed of bullets. The granite stood no chance against the granule rain – eating away and being chipped, piece by piece, as the sand granule bullets tore at it into nothing but fine, refined dust.

No, not dust, _powder_. For dust was still coarse, while powder was perfectly smooth.

The boy panted, feeling the exhaustion from the heavy chakra requirement of the technique, but, his expression showed nothing. No tiredness, no satisfaction, no glee or joy from the effects – it just… _was_.

"Gaara-kun!"

For all of a few seconds, before he was suitably glomped from behind.

An automated defense would have activated, would have assaulted the offending person – had Gaara not been training to control it. Had he not trained to differentiate the intent of an attacker, from the intent of a non-attacker. It also helped, that his father and his uncle had been the ones supervising his training from the very moment he was born. Pakura of the Scorch Release also helped – beating it into him since he could walk that he _had_ to control his powers.

"Nee-san." He said evenly, tilting his head forward in greeting.

The girl in question almost pouted. "Gaara – I've told you to call me Temari- _chan_."

He nodded. "So you have."

"And yet you never call me that."

He nodded again. "So it seems."

"Don't you care for your older sister?"

A third nod. "I do."

"So why do you continue to hurt my feelings by not calling me Temari-chan?"

A frown. "You need to get tougher feelings, nee-san."

She gasped, clutching her chest exaggeratedly. "Gaara-kun you wound me." She said, falling to the ground. "However can I recover from this slight?"

"Tou-sama is standing behind you."

In an instant, Temari was standing on her feet, her playful expression gone and her eyes deadened, her face entering an expression that could have been described as perfectly emotionless.

"Tou-sama, I have completed my training session with Pakura-sama for today. I came to meet Gaara to –"

She blinked, upon realizing that there was no one present. No one except Gaara, who, for the most part, looked on blankly. If he was amused, he did not show it.

"Why you sneaky little –"

Her words stopped when she watched 'Gaara' fade away into nothing but sand.

"A Sand Clone?! GRRR – GAARA!"

* * *

"How many?"

"Twenty puppets."

Rasa frowned as he looked at his first born son. "Sasori of the Red-Sands could control over a hundred – merely controlling twenty is not enough if you wish for your name to be remembered throughout the world as an S-Rank shinobi."

"…Yes, Kazekage-sama."

"Perhaps puppetry enough is not alone?" Rasa mused. "Hmmm… yes. I believe there is a way we can make puppetry far more deadly…"

Kankuro could only grimace at the thought. It was now an open-secret in Sunagakure that Rasa, the Fourth Kazekage, was a man who was obsessed with improving the quality of his shinobi, and attaining famous S-Rank nin. Rumor has it that his deep seated desire to gain more power came as a result of his visit to Kirigakure no Sato a few years back, and his failed attempt to gain an alliance with what was now the technology-capital of the world.

The words, supposedly spoken to Rasa, by Jinshi Hoshikage, the Fifth Mizukage, were:

" _Your village is a sandy wasteland with no resources, few notable shinobi and nothing extraordinary about it. We cannot ally with you, because you and your village have nothing to offer us."_

Needless to say, one did not tell the Kage of his village that he had nothing to offer. The realization that Suna could not count on Kiri as an ally should the worst happen in the ongoing Konoha-Kumo War had spurn on the need for the Kazekage to develop his military as much as possible. This simple fact had led to him taking a vested invest in training his children, in training his _son_. Personal tutoring – teaching the boy to control the sand he used because a Jinchuriki who had full control of his beast and could _think_ , was easily a more laudable threat than a Jinchuriki who simply relied on nothing but brute strenght and power.

He didn't want Gaara to be a _weapon_. He wanted him to be an _S-Rank Shinobi_. It was a tiny difference – yet, the difference had long reaching impacts that he himself did not anticipate.

"Come, Kankuro let us meet the Puppet Masters and see if they can design what I have in mind… Suna Puppetry is in due need of a suitable revolution."

* * *

 **XXXX**

* * *

 **Yuki no Kuni**

A thirteen year old girl sat on the hand of a statue. Ranging over fifty feet, the statue was enormous. It was a statue of a God, for a God was the only thing that could be used to define the person the statue was dedicated towards. She knew, first hand, just how mystical he was. Of course, she was not sitting on the statue merely to relax and enjoy the melancholy. Even as tiny flakes of snow descended from the sky up above, she gazed her upwards, a small smile on her face as she looked at one of the greatest wonders of Yuki no Kuni.

Lights danced up above, hueing in different colors from greens to reds, swirling in such a way and casting a beautiful sight on the village down below. _Aurora Borealis_ , was the name that her god had given to the phenomenon. He enabled those lights to shine eternally upon Yuki no Kuni – lights that gave the city of snow a beautiful, ephemeral feeling. The citizens would look up every morning, and they would see different variations of lights, and they would know, that their god was watching over them.

The girl's attention was drawn down below, to the sound of silent, fast humming. Her gaze locked on to the train tracks, or rather, to the Bullet Train that now ran across all of Yuki no Kuni. With speed and efficiency never before seen in the world, running purely on _chakra_ and no other energy system – it was one of the greatest inventions this country possessed.

A shadow cast over her form, and she glanced upwards again, no longer paying attention to the train or the lights, but instead, to the flying aircraft that streaked across the sky. Her god had done the impossible once more – he brought the power of flight to the layman. _Airplanes_ he called them – and they stayed in Hangars. There was a small fleet of them available, although, very few of them were available globally.

The girl sighed when she thought about him. The passing years had not diminished her lord's appearance, if anything, it had heightened them, and she found herself having more and more dreams of him than she would like. In all of her dreams, he was always _taking_ her – in wild, indecent ways. He would make her beg, make her fall, make people watch as he filled her – the dreams were all too vivid and all too detailed, such that she would wake up drenched in sweat and fully aroused afterwards. She shuddered to wonder what he would do if he realized what she dreamed of.

But, he had his hands full. He was busy, as it was, and she had nothing but her fantasies to comfort her. Nothing but her dreams and thoughts of him to embrace her. He was working on something – but he was _always_ working on something. It was the type of person he was. Always wanting to improve the quality of life of everyone – wanting to ensure that their stay in this world was as pleasant as possible, even as they prepared for the next one.

"Haku-sama."

Her gaze turned to the sight of the dark-haired woman who appeared beside her in what she recognized as the Body Flicker. Koyuki Kazahana had grown in the past eight years from being a young twelve-year old girl, into a beautiful twenty-year old woman. Her attires often consisted of beautiful, elegant kimonos which framed her body, which highlighted her sensuality, and which exposed just enough legs and cleavage to leave men wanting more – yet never fully giving them.

It peeved Haku a little, when she looked at the beautiful body of Koyuki – her full breasts, her waists and thick thighs. Men were tripping over their feet just to meet her – and it had nothing to do with the fact that the woman was a genjutsu specialist.

Koyuki had taken to the seduction training like fish to water, and she was far more efficient and effective at it than Haku was. Although, this was because Haku could not stand or stomach the thought of anyone that was not her lord being even vaguely interested in her, yet alone attempting to _touch_ her.

Hence, Koyuki Kazahana was the diplomat – the ambassador – she was their lord's spy and public relations officer. Her beauty and her calm temperament made her perfect for the job, but Haku knew deep within that her elegance was a cover for something else.

"Koyuki."

"The Princess of Ice sitting on the Hand of the Shepherd – how fitting."

"Is there something you want Koyuki?"

"My – so volatile. Don't tell me you're still jealous of me after all these years?" Koyuki giggled. "Then again, I suppose I _am_ a woman now."

Haku rose her hand, a cold chill covering it as it caked over with ice. "Do you want to be a _frozen_ woman?"

"As long as it's _you_ doing the freezing Haku-sama," Koyuki whispered, "It has been so long… I miss the way you used to rough handle me. Throw me into the dirt – step on me with your toes –"

As it turned out, Haku had been _too_ enthusiastic in 'training' Koyuki.

The woman panted as her eyes glazed over. "The only thing I can imagine better than you, Haku-sama, would be if Shepherd-sama himself _punished me…_ I have dreams of it every other night, him, spanking me, whipping me – pinning me and ravaging me like an _animal –_ "

Haku's face heated up as she was reminded of her own dreams, and she frowned as she turned to Koyuki. "Shepherd-sama would never be interested in you."

"Oh? Is that a challenge, Haku-sama?" Koyuki smirked.

"If you try it –"

"You can't kill me, you know. I've proven myself too useful to Shepherd-sama. If I died, he would be very, very displeased with you Haku-sama. He would punish you – maybe even _banish_ you from his presence – can you imagine your life without him?"

Her chest grew cold from the mere mention of such a life. She couldn't. He was her _everything_.

"Besides… a man of Shepherd-sama's power and influence… don't you believe that he is deserving of _more_ than just one woman? He is a man above men – no – he is a _god –_ and he may have as many as he wants." Koyuki said, still smiling. "Do you think he'll stop loving you if he takes more women? Oh – but – you don't even know if he _does_ love you – do you Haku-sama?"

Koyuki Kazahana, was, simply put, a sadist and a masochist. She derived pain from others, she delighted in seeing the pain of others, and she loved pain being inflicted upon her. Haku knew she was partially responsible for this… well, _wholly_ responsible. It didn't stop the Ice Wielder from wanting to freeze the woman and shatter her into dust though.

"You women bicker too much."

The gazes of the duo gazed up to see a man, garbed in soft samurai armor, with two swords strapped across his back, standing on what appeared to be a floating shield.

"Kitami-sama," Haku greeted, whereas Koyuki merely snorted.

"Coming from a man who has bedded how many women exactly?"

"Are you disappointed that you weren't on the list?" Kitami retorted.

"As _if_ I would even want to _contemplate_ being with _you!_ " she responded, sounding outraged. "Shepherd-sama is the only man for me."

"Yet, you flash him with your body every other day and he doesn't bat an eyelash." Kitami responded dryly. "Makes me wonder."

Koyuki bristled. "Why you –"

Haku sighed. "Koyuki-san. Unless you want to die, I would recommend not engaging Kitami-sama. Out of all of us, he has known Shepherd-sama the longest… I feel he may be able to kill you without much repercussion."

The girl paused, before frowning. "Yes… that is true." She turned to Kitami. "You've known Shepherd-sama the longest… tell me, why does he seem to be… unaffected by women? I have never seen him show a sexual side – with such looks, he could bed any woman he wanted, yet – he seems not to be interested in the slightest."

Kitami gave a smirk, a smirk which said 'I know something you don't.' "Ask him yourself. I'm sure the answer will be _eye-opening._ "

Koyuki rolled her eyes. "More cryptic nonsense. Dementia does not look good on you, Kitami-sama."

"You uppity little – I still remembered the day you creamed yourself in front of your father just because Gat-sama said he wanted you. Now she's talking to me about dementia."

Koyuki's face went red. "T-t-that was a long time ago!"

"Creamed herself? I do not know this expression. Could you clarify, Kitami-sama."

Three pairs of eyes spun around to meet a fourth person, sitting in the air with his legs crossed on two femur bones, his white hair was styled into a short cut, and he leaned forward with a face full of intrigue and wonder.

"How long have you been here?!" Koyuki asked, her mortification growing.

"I arrived with Kitami-sama. I went unnoticed due to his claim that women argue too much." The Kaguya tilted his head. "Does his claim have merit? Do women bicker too much? If so, why? Also, what does it mean to cream yoursel–"

"Don't ask that!"

"Kimi-kun – when someone creams themselves –"

"Don't actually explain it to him!"

Kitami barked out a laugh, shaking his head at the scene. They were a strange, weird, dysfunctional type of family – but it was a family nonetheless.

 _ **Disciples**_ _._

All four of them froze up when they heard the voice speak directly into their heads.

 _ **It is time.**_


	14. A Song of Ice and Fire - Part I

**The hype is real motherfuckers! Woo! Yeah, now that I've got my first chapter of Force Without Balance out, I could _finally_ finish up this chapter. Fair warning to you guys, you might wanna grab the popcorn for this one. **

**Oh, and yeah, I've got a new fic (another one, yes, sue me) which is a High School DxD and Skyrim Crossover. That little fucking plot bunny swaying her sexy ass in my face is the reason this chapter took so long.**

 **So... without further ado, the motherfucking bitch you've all been waiting for!**

 **Enjoy.**

* * *

 **Year Thirteen**

 **Konohagakure no Sato**

It was a surprisingly beautiful place. The Hokage Monument overlooked the village, the faces of their heroes etched forever into stone. Hashirama, the man who founded the very concept of Shinobi Villages, the first person known as the God of Shinobi. Tobirama, the man who invented the Flying Thunder God, and was renowned for his mastery of water style jutsu and his implementation of stricter policies. Sarutobi – the Professor, a man who mastered all five natures, yet, strangely, had very little accomplishments to his name other than living the longest and fighting in the most wars. Then, there was the Fourth – Minato Namikaze – a man who would have most certainly profited from a longer lifespan, had he not died for his village.

I chuckled, feeling strangely melancholic as the cold night wind blew. The Hokage Monument was larger in person than I imagined, it was visible, regardless of where you were in the village. The village itself, was not merely a 'village' but instead, a small, bustling city. Lights and lampposts illuminated the darkness, and every now and then, I would find people moving on rooftops, their sandaled feet making little sound to disturb the inhabitants of the buildings.

"Konoha…" I mused, placing my chin on my palm as I enabled a smile on my face. Approximately fifteen years ago, before my death and rebirth, Konoha was nothing more than another fictional location in my mind. Its size and scale only imaginable in pictures, its contents and people only accessible through fictitious and imaginary mediums.

Now, I rose to my feet, and I gazed upon the nightlife of a village I would have never entertained entering. I stared at the bustling city, filled with life and character, despite the war-weariness and their shift towards a militaristic stance, I could see it bustling in every citizen and every denizen – a sense of _belonging_. A sense of… _home_.

The air was rich with it, the scents of local foods and delicacies, the chakra of people who would sooner die than surrender, who would sooner destroy all that they held precious than enable the enemy seize it from them. Konoha at night was indeed a beautiful place.

Although, I would admit that it was nowhere near as beautiful as _my_ kingdom. The one I created, crafted carefully and elaborately. The Aurora lights present at my capital was one of the natural wonders of this world – and yet, it cost me a measly five miracle points. The world considered the aesthetic beauty of such marvels to be worth far less than an eye that could slow down a person's perception of time. Shame.

Then again, man-made miracles were often equally, if not superior, in beauty to anything nature could provide. The past eight years helped me realize this.

I leapt down from my position on a rooftop, landing softly on the streets, every bit of sound, every tiny instance of kinetic-motion being absorbed to make my landing absolutely silent. I dusted off my robes surreptitiously, clasping my hands behind me as I strode across the street, taking in Konoha's sights. The Uchiha Police Force members were always visible in one form or another, either aiding citizens or patrolling with red glowing eyes. The sight made my lips thin with displeasure. Eliminating the Uchiha Clan Massacre from history had never been my intention, it had never even crossed my mind. Yet, one way or another, the actions and choices I made had created a climate that prevented it from occurring.

"Canon" as I knew it was effectively a fantasy. I could no longer rely on future knowledge of events and people. The world with my influence was so much drastically different from what I knew, and it was intriguing, if not somewhat empowering to realize just what I had done. The world, and all its inhabitants would never know just how different their lives would be, if I had never been born. How much better off, or how much worse.

"Oof!"

My attention was drawn to a young civilian couple, particularly the lady who had run into me.

"Are you okay?" the young man asked.

"Ah – it's nothing – I'm – I'm fine –" she said demurely, taking the man's hand. "I – I could've sworn I just ran into a wall."

The man looked left, right, he approached me, and I side-stepped with very little effort. It was amusing watching him wave his hands randomly in the air, searching for something.

"There's nothing there." He said, scratching his head. "Maybe you ran into a shinobi?"

The woman rolled her eyes. "An _invisible_ shinobi?"

The man shrugged. "I'm not really sure what they can or can't do. I mean – I hear some of them can even walk on water."

The woman shook her head playfully. "It's a good thing I don't love you for your smarts."

"H-hey!"

"Come on, let's get home before you come up with something even crazier. Like… flying shinobi."

A young, enigmatically beautiful couple. Bantering and bickering as a sign of affection. Or at least, that is what one would believe, anyone who was not me. Anyone who did not have **Observe** and the ability to read a person's history and backstory within seconds. I sighed wistfully, before moving towards the young woman, unseen and detected, before whispering into her ear.

 _He's cheating on you._

The woman, Fura, jerked up, turning around, staring straight at me, or rather, _through_ me, unable to realize or detect my presence. Of course, with **Stealth** as a high-leveled skill, and the use of an advanced feature of my **Suit** , there was no way she would ever detect me.

 _You may ignore it. Or you may take vengeance. Which will satisfy you? Which will make you feel better?_

"D-dear? What – what's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?"

Fura breathed hard, turning to glare at her lover, Min.

"You – you've been cheating on me, haven't you?"

Min jerked back. "W-what? Fura, I would never –"

 _Thou shall not lie._

" – stop cheating on you!"

Both pairs of eyes widened, and I watched the ongoing conflict with a rich sense of amusement.

"I mean, I –"

 _Lying is bad._

"I get off on the thought of you catching me!" The man said, his face suddenly twisting into horror "What… what am I saying?"

I walked around the couple, shaking my head as I whispered even more.

 _Tell the truth. The whole truth. And nothing but the truth._

"I've been cheating on you with Ikaru – she's so much better than you at everything!" The man spoke, but at the same time, his face was twisted into one of absolute dismay. He tried to place his hands over his mouth, but he failed.

"She sucks harder, she's tighter, she let's me do whatever I want and never whines and complains!" He continued, to his growing dread. "I once fucked her at work, and when you came in – I hid her under the table. She was sucking me while you kissed me and you never knew, and it felt so good that I –"

"ARRRRGH! YOU BASTARD!"

Fura charged, pinning the man to the ground, and I smiled as I stared at her fury induced state.

 _You are strong. Stronger than him. Stronger than anyone. Show him your wrath._

I watched, as the series of **Buffs** hit the woman's status, paying attention to how her Strength stat suddenly gained a **(+50)** boost.

I didn't need to stay long to hear the sound of fists raining down upon a human face, my work was done, and I hummed softly as the smell of fresh blood sang throughout the air.

Konoha was a beautiful place indeed.

"There's something happening at the fourth sector! We need troops there now!"

Sharingan wielding members of the Uchiha Clan Police streaked by me, each one heading towards the direction that I left. They were a lot of them, I noted. Too many people with the Sharingan was going to be problematic later on. I would have to do something about them.

Of course, that would have to be saved for another night. This night, there was only one place I intended on heading to. My gaze turned upwards, finding my target, the large cylindrical tower with the kanji for fire emblazoned boldly upon it.

" **Ice Release: Skate** _."_

Chakra sensors would no doubt be alerted, regardless, I did not intend on staying in Konoha for too long. A board of thin, nigh-invisible, reflective ice appeared underneath my feet, and I lifted my finger, making the board rise with me on top of it. It was my rudimental version of hover-boarding and flight, enabling me to take in more of the night sky at once, and the **Tree Walking** enabled me to stick to the ice without falling off.

Were anyone to look in my direction, they would see nothing but the night sky reflected at them. Reflective ice was the same as a mirror, and a mirror at night reflected the night back. Of course, those with special eyes would detect the usage of chakra, which, according to my minimap, some already had.

Perfect.

I gazed upon the open window of the building that was my target, and I disabled the technique, allowing myself to instead, glide through the open air, narrowing in on my target and in a burst of speed that would have left cheetahs jealous, I appeared in the middle of the room.

The room that was the central office of the leader of the most powerful Shinobi Nation in the world.

Then, I disabled my invisibility.

"Hello, Sarutobi Hiruzen."

And five different swords imbedded themselves thickly into my skin.

* * *

 **XXXXX**

* * *

Kill first, ask questions later.

This was the mentality that the ANBU Hokage Guard carried and held to the letter. If there was what seemed to be an attempted attack, an unauthorized intruder, or even the slightest hint of danger or possible danger that could come to the Hokage, you struck down the offender without thinking.

Hiruzen had never required them to uphold this, because, strange as it was, assassins on his life were highly uncommon. Any would-be assassin would have to first fool the Hyuga sentries, fool the Inuzuka night guards, fool the Aburame patrols and then bypass the Uchiha Police, before they would reach him. You could fool one, or maybe two of those groups, but not all of them. Never all of them.

Hence, he was on his guard and immediately on his feet when a sudden gust of breeze had entered his office, followed by the casual, almost soft sounding words:

"Hello, Sarutobi Hiruzen."

The Sandaime Hokage stared at the man in front of him, dressed in long, elegant and pristine white robes. He had rich tanned skin that was entirely unusual in the Land of Fire, strong golden eyes and long dark braided hair with white streaks. There was an _air_ around him, one which reminded the Sandaime of being in the presence of the most distinguished and exquisite of royalty. It seemed to permeate the every being of the man, and it would not be an exaggeration to say that the man… _glowed_.

His presence in the room made the air lighter, the atmosphere seem richer and more beautiful, and the scenery shine and perfectly contrast his rich, delicate features. While Hiruzen would admit that he was quite the lady-killer back in his day, he had nothing on the sheer… _beauty_ of the man in front of him.

"Would you kindly put those swords away? It is rather irritating."

Hiruzen snapped out of his initial daze at staring at the young man, and immediately became _very_ cautious.

He lost focus.

For a brief second, he, the Hokage, had lost focus, in the light of analyzing the young man in front of him. Any skilled assassin could have used that brief moment to launch an attack that would be advantageous to them.

More than that, he realized that the blades of his ANBU – all of them which had been targeted for clear kill spots, the heart, liver, lungs – none had pierced the man. All the blades seem to have stopped short of actually _piercing_ and doing damage. And – and –

"What – what are you all doing?"

They… they _sheathed_ their swords?

"H-Hokage-sama, he – I can't –"

"Would you mind being quiet, and standing a little ways off? I would like to have a conversation with Sarutobi in peace."

Neko, the ANBU about to speak, suddenly clammed up, and Hiruzen could not believe his eyes as all his ANBU quietly walked backwards, standing at the door.

 _Genjutsu?_

What sort of Genjustu was capable of that? No – it wasn't Genjutsu. Hiruzen had never heard or seen of such a Genjutsu that allowed anyone to do something like that – to completely override the will of trained shinobi –

"Hiruzen, would you please, kindly take a seat? We have much to discuss."

* * *

XXXX

* * *

Hiruzen was still standing, gazing at me rather sharply and wearily. A shame. It seemed the **Boon** granted by my **SS Rank Charisma** could not compel people strong enough wills to obey me without question. The ANBU, for all their grandstanding, were surprisingly feeble minded. Hiruzen, was anything but that.

"Who are you and why are you here?" Hiruzen began.

It was quite fortunate for me that Hiruzen was not of the 'attack and imprison first, ask pertinent questions later' otherwise, this conversation would not even be happening. If I attempted this stunt on the Raikage, Kazekage or Tsuchikage, a civil discourse would be the last thing on their minds.

"Forgive my impromptu visit," I said with a smile. "But I felt, as **Enforcer** of the Land of Fire, it would be better to arrive unannounced, to catch the village in it's… _natural_ state."

I watched as the gears turned in his mind, more so, recognition and realization dawned on his creased eyebrows.

"You… you are the Shepherd?"

I took a court bow. "In the flesh." I said simply. "No doubt a significant majority of your population are followers of mine, so surely, this visit also enables me to meet with them."

Hiruzen, for his part, had a less 'sharp' gaze, but he was still wary. He did not sit down, although, there was far less malice in his eyes, an indicator that it was increasingly less likely for him to attack.

"As I said, Hiruzen, kindly take a seat –"

"What did you do to my ANBU?"

I turned, looking at the silent ANBU standing guard.

"Nothing." I declared. "They are merely obliging the kind requests I made of them."

"Do you expect me to believe," Hiruzen said, narrowing his eyes. "That my agents would just _choose_ to kindly oblige your requests?"

"But of course," I said smoothly. "After all, I _do_ outrank you here Sarutobi. Daimyo Shijimi Hokora's decree was never undone or removed and still stands. As Enforcer, refusing my demands is tantamount to refusing the demands of the Daimyo himself."

"Ah, yes, _Enforcer_ of the Land of Fire," Hiruzen said, seemingly remembering. "A title you attained eight years ago – but have yet to utilize to any true amount."

 _Bingo._

I took a seat, taking my place directly in front of Hiruzen, before smiling at the man. "Tell me, do you truly believe that? That I have yet to use my power in the Land of Fire?"

"Are you saying that you have _not?_ " he countered.

"As much as I appreciate your attempt at fishing for information, Hiruzen," I said benignly, "I'm afraid it's not that simple. Now, will you _please_ sit down so we can speak like civilized individuals, or are you going to keep staring at me like I made unsolicited passes at your daughter?"

Hiruzen narrowed his eyes at me. "Shall you then release my ANBU guards?"

"Will they attempt to make their weapons intimate with my organs if I do so?"

Sarutobi's lips seem to twitch. "Considering the failure of their first attempt, I would caution them against their second."

A _far_ more subtle attempt to fish for information, but I merely smiled at him.

"If you say so Sarutobi." I waved my hand. "Loyal ANBU, you may continue your service in protection of your Hokage."

No sooner had the last syllable escape my mouth that the ANBU immediately gathered around me, their blades all centered on my neck this time around. I rose an eyebrow, gesturing to Sarutobi.

"I believed you said you would caution them."

"So I did." Sarutobi said gently. "It seems that they have failed to listen. I will ensure to have them disciplined for insubordination at a much later time."

 _Son of a –_

"Surely you realize that you cannot kill me. I am –"

"The Leader of a Foreign Nation, illegally trespassing on foreign soil?" Hiruzen attempted, "A Religious Leader, with no grounds whatsoever to enter into the office of the Hokage which contains classified information and documents?" He continued, "Or the _Enforcer_ of the Land of Fire – a declaratory, decorative title offered upon you but possesses no weight by which its authority is actually enforced? Which of these arguments were you about to proffer, _Shepherd?_ "

…Was this actually Sarutobi? Or had I been underestimating this man for far too long?

"While you are, indeed, too high-profile an individual to merely kill," Sarutobi said "You are _not_ too high-profile to keep under an extended period of detention. I assure you, you will be provided with a suitable enough accommodation and room and opportunity to narrate whatever reasons you believe a face-to-face meeting with me was necessary, _amongst_ other things."

"ANB –"

"If you believe for even a second," Hiruzen interrupted me with a stern glare "That you can command my ANBU with your 'kind requests' for a second time, you are mistaken. I can assure you that they will and can slit your throat before you speak, and we _do_ have medical practitioners on ground that will ensure you do not die from the process."

Well – Hiruzen was not having any of it.

Why had I believed this was a good idea in the first place? Ah, yes – because I thought Hiruzen was a kind and genial old man who would listen to anything I had to say without issue. Also because I believed my **SS Rank** **Charisma** would make the conversation carry on smoothly. An oversight, it seemed. Although, it was an interesting learning experience.

"Detainment does not suit me." I spoke, ignoring the _scraping_ sound that echoed out as several ANBU had attempted to slit my throat. Their blades slid off my skin like it hit iron, a feat that made Hiruzen's eyes narrow even further.

"And it seems I underestimated you, Sarutobi Hiruzen," I continued, unperturbed. "Although, it seemed to have been a flaw on my part. I had a different 'vision' of you in my head. But enough of that – I am here to make a proposition to you."

"Are you truly so arrogant that you would believe you are in a position to make any such propositions?" Hiruzen said, sounding genuinely curious. "Do you perhaps even realize the position that you are in?"

I smiled at him. "You cannot kill me. Even if you _wanted_ to kill me – hence, I feel no danger for my life. Aside from that, there is no prison that can hold me, and none of your men are capable of actually detaining me or hurting me. I have nothing to fear from you, Hiruzen, and hence, I am in the perfect position to make propositions."

Hiruzen… laughed.

He actually, laughed.

At _me_.

"My, my, I have lived and experienced much in my years as a shinobi," he declared, shaking his head "but never have I heard such grandiose claims, or seen someone so blinded by his own arrogance."

"Call it what you wish," I said, still smiling. "But regardless, you will listen to what I have to say?"

"Absolutely not." The God of Shinobi declared. "ANBU, seize him."

I frowned. Either I _really_ did not understand Hiruzen's character, or, I had done something in this world to change it. Everything I knew about Hiruzen Sarutobi from the series pointed me to believe that he would actually listen to my offer, but then again – the Hiruzen from the series had never declared war on Kumo. Something had changed… _I_ had changed something. I changed something enough to change Hiruzen's general disposition.

But… what?

Ah – well.

"A Shame. You would have truly benefited from the negotiations."

 _BOOM!_

 _BOOM!_

 _BOOM!_

Three large, tremendous explosions hit Konoha, rocking the building and shaking it with the force of a small tremor. Everyone in the room utilized the tree-walking technique, sticking their feet to the floor in order to keep themselves from losing their footing.

Then, throughout the village, alarms began to ring.

Sarutobi snapped his gaze at me, his face absolutely livid. " _What have you done?!"_

"It isn't what I've done," I responded with a smile. "It's what _I'm doing_. And that, my dear Sarutobi – is conquering your beloved village."

In that moment, 'I' dissolved into a clone of Ice, but not before hearing Hiruzen Sarutobi's roar of fury.

* * *

 **XXXX**

* * *

"Naruto! NARUTO!"

Uzumaki Naruto's eyes snapped open, coming face to face with the grim-faced appearance of his best friend. He was disorientated, growing more confused when the sound of the village's sirens hit his ears.

"T-Ten-chan? W-wha? What the hell is going on?"

"Konoha – we're under attack!"

The boy's eyes widened, a snarl immediately escaping his lips. "Is it Kumo? How did they –"

"It's not Kumo!" Tenten responded urgently. "We – we're not sure, all we know is that –"

" **People of Konohagakure no Sato"**

A large, overwhelming voice echoed, like thunder, the voice could be heard everywhere in the village. Naruto and Tenten locked eyes, before the blonde shinobi-in-training swore and then leapt out of bed, grabbing his kunai set as he lunged for the doors of the orphanage.

" **I am the Herald of the Divine, the One That Will Bring Heaven – The Shepherd."**

"Naruto – wait – it's not safe!"

He didn't wait. He _couldn't_ wait. How could he? When someone _dared_ attack his home, _dared_ put the lives of _his_ people in danger –

He burst through the door, snarling as he looked around, trying to find the enemy –

Instead, all he saw, were people, shinobi, civilians, everyone, with their eyes turned skywards. He frowned, wondering why people would be wasting such valuable time at such a moment, only for his eyes to turn upwards as well –

He lost his breath.

In the sky, blanketing all of Konohagakure no Sato, was a flying… _floating_ contraptions – a _ship_ – but he used the term _ship_ in the loosest sense. It was like a warship, a bright, pristine white color, possessing a familiar insignia – _a crooked staff_ – and the sheer size made the Hokage Monument look like a small _hill_ in comparison. It hovered above the village, resting amongst the clouds as though it was the cloud itself, and somehow, it did not fall, nor did it even seem to need to waver.

It was… a _Flying Warship_.

He didn't even know that such a thing existed.

" **Today is a glorious day.** " The booming voice echoed throughout the city. **"The righteous will rejoice, and the unjust will perish. Look above you to the skies Children of Hashirama, and rejoice. For today – today, I bring you your salvation.** "

Naruto grit his teeth, as Tenten appeared behind him, her eyes also widening as she gazed to the sky.

" **I attempted to speak with your leader, Sarutobi Hiruzen. Yet, he turned me away. But fear not – I shall not suffer the plenty for the sins of the few. Instead, I give you, people of Konoha, a glorious opportunity.** " The voice continued, a soothing feel to it.

" **The Divine Empire has manifested, as it is written – an empire free of chaos and war, an empire with prosperity, riches and wealth – a land of happiness, paradise on earth, as it shall be in the afterlife!** " The voice boomed. " **And you – Children of Hashirama – may join this empire. Mizu no Kuni is no more – as it is now christened the Kingdom of Lustra. Yuki no Kuni is the Divine Capital – Nirvana. And you, Konoha, shall be known as the Kingdom of Eden."**

There was a palpable wave of shock that spread through the citizens. Already – this… _Divine Empire_ had claimed Mizu no Kuni? The entirety of the Land of Water was now annexed and absorbed into this new empire?

" **And as we stand on the precipice of change, this grand moment in history, I give you a choice. Peacefully, lay down your arms and surrender - and you will be welcomed with open arms into the Divine Empire."** He bellowed. " **Refuse, fight, and struggle – and your meeting with the Shinigami shall neither be swift nor painless."**

Naruto clenched his fists. Who – who the hell was this guy? Who was he to come to their home and _demand_ them to surrender? Who did he think he was to even _give_ such an ultimatum?

"LIKE FUCKING HELL WE'LL SURRENDER!" He roared at the top of his lungs, making the girl beside him flinch from the ferocity. The shinobi and civillians around him turned, focusing on the voice of the one person, the blonde-haired boy, who, in spite of the overwhelming amount of odds, stared on brazenly, with neither fear nor hesitation.

The older and more experienced of them, felt ashamed, ashamed that they had all but given hope, and ashamed that it was a young boy who had the guts to do what they could not.

"WE ARE KONOHA!" Naruto bellowed, thrusting his fist into the air, his veins bulging in his throat from how hard he sent his voice into the air.

It was like a switch had been flipped, a stone thrown into a pond, and like that, the waves travelled.

"That's true – ! We're not going to let you take our home without a fight!"

"Eden? What the fuck is that – there's no way we're letting you strip our village of it's name!"

"We can do this!"

"Yeah!"

"We are Konoha!"

"We are Konoha!"

"WE. ARE. KONOHA."

The shouts dispersed in the air like a thick gaseous fragrance. Shinobi, civilians, young, old, they got caught up in the shouts, they all chanted it from the pits of their stomach, from the depths of their guts –

"We. Are. Ko –no – ha!"

"We. Are. Ko – no ha!"

Feet stamped on the floor, on the ground, on rooftops and surfaces, a thunderous rhythm following the chants.

"WE. ARE. KO – NO – HA!"

"WE. ARE. KO – NO – HA!"

"WE. ARE. KO – NO – HA!"

" **Very well."** The voice boomed over the thunderous chants. " **You have chosen your fate."**

A bright light emerged from the front of the flagship, nearly blinding everyone who gazed upon it with its intensity. Naruto cursed and squinted, and Tenten covered her eyes with her hands –

Every single sensor in the village felt instant dread from the _massive_ pile-up of chakra, and even those who were not attuned to the fine arts of sensing could feel the sudden thickness in the air, as it the entire world was doused in over-saturated amount of chakra –

Naruto could barely let out a shout of warning as a condensed beam of what could only be _pure_ _chakra_ raced down from the heavens like a god bemusedly flicking a finger.

And the horizon went _white_.

* * *

 **XXXX**

* * *

 **Shepherd Flagship**

The **Chakra Cannon** **Mark IV** was the most effective one manufactured so far. I sat in the central command room, sitting on the main seat as I watched the effects on the screens, with no small amount of morbid intrigue. Unfortunately, the amount of natural chakra it needed to fully absorb before using was _absurd…_ this meant that the cannon was only good for one shot every six months. It would be another six months before it could be fired again – but it wouldn't have anywhere near the same amount of power as it did now, because this shot had been charging and gathering natural chakra from the atmosphere for upwards of two years.

"Such… destruction." I heard Haku whisper beside me in awe. "This… is the power of the Divine Empire…?"

I smiled. "It is. I felt it best, to announce our arrival to the world by claiming Konohagakure no Sato – the _strongest_ of all five villages. Konoha has never fallen, but once it does, the world will immediately know who is responsible, and they will understand, that they cannot fight against the will of the Divine."

It was the most effective strategy I thought of. Rather than going around, targeting smaller villages and gradually making a slow announcement to the world, (hence giving them time to anticipate and prepare) I went straight for Konoha. It was dealing with the biggest threat _first_ , and then later, I'd go around and handle the smaller problems – the remaining three great hidden villages, and the smaller minor hidden villages, Akatsuki – and what not.

"Now, Disciples – the clean-up begins." I said matter-of-factly. "You know the priority targets. They are not, under _any_ circumstances to survive the night."

"Yes Shepherd-sama." They chorused.

"Commanders!" I barked, and instantly, two people appeared before me, kneeling. The first was a relatively young woman with pink hair and green eyes, clad in the ever so familiar latex suit that was secretly a power augmenter. Her suit was white with camouflage patterns, and, (on the insistence of Haku and Koyuki) she wore standard kunoichi clothing over her suit, which consisted of a pair of fish-net shorts, and a button-up jacket.

Her name was Fubuki Kakuyoku.

The man, on the other hand had dark purple hair, but the same shade of striking green eyes. He wore the traditional black version of the suit, although his was far less visible due to the thick and bulky winter robes he wore on top of it.

His name was Nadare Roga.

In another world, these two would have been part of Doto's Three Man team, and would have fought against Team Seven in the Land of Snow. Of course, this was nothing like that world, and instead, they were the de-facto sub-leaders/commanders of my army.

They were **Commanders** , but Haku, Kimimaro, Kitami and Koyuki were **Disciple Generals** – ranking far above them, and able to command them as I would.

"Yes, Shepherd-sama." Nadare spoke, bowing.

"Order the **Brethren** to begin a full _cleanse_. Spare the faithful and devout, the women, children, and those who wish to surrender completely. Also, spare every one in ten males. Those who do not fall into this criteria are to be captured alive if possible, otherwise, kill them."

They nodded. "As you command Gat-sama."

In another burst of speed, courtesy of the Shunshin, they were gone.

I allowed a smile to curl on my lips, eerily remembering the infamous words of warfare uttered by Sun Tzu himself.

Thus it is the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, where as he who is destined to defeat first, fights and afterwards looks for victory. – Sun Tzu

More so, the past thirteen years had been preparing me for this moment. The day I conquered Konoha – and I did it before I ever even hit the 'canon' timeline. All thanks to the power of the **Gamer**.

I took in a deep breath, before re-examining my stats as I prepared for the next act of my invasion.

" **Stats.** "

 **Name: Gato Junior**

 **HP: 122,200/122,200**

 **CHK: 64,000/64,000**

 **Level: 74**

 **Age: 13**

 **Rank: Religious Leader/Daimyo**

 **Title: The Shepherd**

 **EXP: 5,049,001/10,394,334**

 **Money: Approx. 545 Billion Ryo**

 **SPECIAL**

 **Strength: 93 (+110) [S+ Rank]**

 **Perseverance: 53 (+110) [S– Rank]**

 **Endurance: 184 (+110) [SS– Rank]**

 **Charisma: 241 [SS+ Rank]**

 **Intelligence: 132 [S+ Rank]**

 **Agility: 181 (+110) [SS– Rank]**

 **Luck: 100 [A Rank]**

 **Status**

 **Buffs:**

 **(Senjutsu Chakra Suit: +110 to Strength, Perseverance, Endurance and Agility)**

 **(Senjutsu Chakra Suit: +17500 Defense, +200% Range and Effectiveness to Chakra Sensing)**

 **(Senjutsu Chakra Suit: +100% Bonus Damage/Effectiveness to Ninjutsu/Genjutsu. Grants Ninjutsu Negation, Genjutsu Negation)**

 **Debuffs:**

 **N/A**

 **Foils:**

 **(Strong Civilian Heritage: Possesses less Chakra than the average human, 60% harder to increase Chakra reserves)**

 **(Demonically Handsome: Women (and some men) with lesser or no self-control are 66% more likely to strip you and/or attempt to rape you.)**

 **(Utilitarian Machiavellianism: –65% Reputation Gains with Honorable or Good Characters.)**

 **(God Complex: –50% Reputation Score with people not yet converted to your religion.)**

 **Boons:**

 **(Divine Appeal: You can make people of low Intelligence, Charisma and/or willpower do your bidding merely by asking politely.)**

 **(Heavenly Visage: +90% Reputation gains with Women and Children. (Divine Appeal) will be more effective on them.)**

 **(Word of God: You can imbue people with boosted Stats, or weaken their stats by either encouraging, disparaging, or humiliating them.)**

 **(Leader of the Flock: +60% to EXP Gains when fighting alongside your followers)**

 **Bio**

 **Gato Junior, or Gat, or more prominently "The Shepherd" is the son of prominent, but often amoral Business Tycoon, Gato. In his short thirteen years, Gato Junior found and propagated the religion of "Gatoism" throughout the Elemental Nations. He went on to create the Divine Empire, an Empire whose level of technological advancement far surpasses any other nation in the world, courtesy of Gato Junior's revolutionary ideas. With the power of technology backing his religious spread, Gat Junior has begun actualizing his goal of becoming God-Emperor of Mankind, by religious dominion, and, more recently, military conquest.**

Eight years in the making. Thirteen years in total. All leading up to this.

I sat on my throne and closed my eyes, activating **Let Thy Will Be Done** – and dispatching an **Ice Clone** down below. From my position high above – I watched my **Disciples** – and I smiled.

"Time to get to work."

* * *

 **XXXXX**

* * *

 **Ruins of the Hokage Monument**

Sarutobi Hiruzen grit his teeth as he pushed off a massive pound of debris from his body. In his right hand, the Adamantine Staff was held, a thick furry arm extending out of it and doing its best to help him gather his bearings.

" _Hiruzen-dono… are you alright?"_ Enma spoke, his voice unusually grave. " _This – I have never seen such an attack before in all my years… never seen Konoha in such a state –_ "

Hiruzen coughed, standing tall amidst the wreckage, and as far as he could see, smoke completely occupied Konoha. Smoke and fire. The village was burning. The sound of combat could be heard echoing on in the distance.

"You should have listened to me, Sarutobi."

Hiruzen spun around, finding the standing form of _him_ , the man responsible for his burning village, sitting casually on ice.

" _You –_ " Hiruzen snarled.

"I am but a mere clone," the clone said, before smiling. "Truly, I have no reason to come down and fight for myself. To put myself in any form of danger, however little."

" _Who is this man Hiruzen? And why… why is he… What… what form of ABOMINATION is this?!"_

The clone, and Hiruzen but turned in surprise to the Monkey King, who was now standing at his full form rather than as a staff.

"Enma-dono? What is the matter?"

" _This man – he has corrupted the very natural energy of the world. He – he is using Senjut-"_

" **Heaven's Flying Blade."**

The Sandaime Hokage could only watch in horror as his familiar and partner, fell to the ground in an instant, sliced in half by a wave of sharp cutting wind.

"ENMA!"

The Hokage rushed forward –

Only for pure, unbridled instincts, born from years and years of combat, to save him as he tilted his head backwards, evading a sword-strike that would have decapitated him had it struck. He turned around, attempting to see his opponent, only for a sandaled foot to slam into his stomach with the force of a train, sending him skidding to the floor with at least two broken ribs.

"That was cutting it close Kitami." The clone of the Shepherd said, his voice sounding slightly displeased. "But then again – I suppose it slipped my mind that summons could detect… _that_."

The Sandaime Hokage stood to his feet, his entire form _radiating_ rage, as he cast his gaze on the one responsible for the death of his companion, his familiar. The man, dressed in a loose-fitting Kimono, with two swords in each hand, a cigarette in his mouth, and his hair tied up, looked on lackadaisically at him.

"So… I'm the one who gets to fight the legendary God of Shinobi?" he said dryly. "Fighting a man who looks like he should have been buried years ago isn't my idea of a fun battle Gat-sama."

"Oh, trust me, Hiruzen isn't all washed up. At least, not just yet."

Hiruzen's eyes immediately caught the make and style of the blade, and his encyclopedic knowledge of swords and kenjutsu techniques helped him identify it easily. "A Samurai from Tetsu no Kuni? Has the Land of Iron also been annexed into this… _Divine Empire?_ " Hiruzen spat.

Kitami shrugged. "Why don't you beat me and find out? That is –"

He casually swung his sword in the air, and a devastating _pressure_ and _shockwave_ of wind enough to blow Hiruzen's hair emerged from the simple action, making the Sandaime's eyes widen in surprise.

"– assuming you _can_ beat me."

* * *

 **XXXX**

* * *

 **Konoha – Residential Districts**

A gathered mass of shinobi stared at the destruction wrought on their village, the likes in which it had never seen in Three World Wars and an attack from a tailed beast. Worst still, the thing responsible for the destruction still hovered above them, still stood, casting a mocking shadow on their efforts.

The smell of burning flesh and the crackling sounds of embers could be perceived everywhere. The cries of children rang hollow throughout the village, as did the screams of people, trapped beneath buildings, begging and pleading for rescue.

Then, their leader, the Hokage, was visible, fighting off a swordsman on the ruined mountain that once held the faces of their village's heroes. Worse still, he appeared to be struggling, to be _losing_.

The Shinobi of Konoha were shaken.

"Hokage-sama is under attack! We have to help him!"

They were distraught.

"Help _him?_ There are wounded everywhere – casualties – everywhere! How do we help _them?_ "

They were disorganized and confused.

"Where the hell are ANBU?! Where are Danzo-sama's forces?"

They were losing faith.

"They got hit first! They're gone! The entire ANBU barracks is just dust and ash!"

"What do we do?!"

And it was in that moment –

"A lot of our main forces are still at the frontlines due to war with Kumo – we don't have many shinobi here!"

" **Enough.** "

A voice bellowed through the chaos, men, women and shinobi alike turned their attention to the man, standing tall, his red eyes glowering with a burning intensity that seemed to _dare_ anyone to speak.

The leader of the Uchiha Clan, the Chief of the Uchiha Police Force, Fugaku Uchiha, arrived on the scene.

"You all are panicking and behaving as though we have not prepared for an eventuality such as this. You have abandoned protocol, failed to establish a chain of command, and are standing about squabbling in self-depreciative heaps." His cold, sharp words cut out across the gathered shinobi. "This is _not_ the time to panic. This is _not_ the time to stop thinking. Konoha is under attack and if you are unable to put yourselves together and do what is needed, then grab your kunai, and drag it across your throat. You will be as much use to us either way."

Everyone was silent.

"We are being invaded. As per protocol, we must _first_ fend off the intruders and _then_ begin the process of aiding the wounded. All Academy Students and Genin Squads are to do their duty by escorting those who are able to move to safety. All Chunin and Jonin are to prioritize the defense of the village. You move with purpose, and you work with diligence. Is. That. Clear?"

"Y-yes sir!"

"Good. Now –"

" **Sage Art: Ice Release: Artic Wonderland."**

The air of the world stopped. Everything that had heat lost heat, and in seconds, the floor, the ground, buildings, people, _everything_ –

Was encased in ice and snow.

The transition was faster than what people could process. Like a dam, bursting forth uncontrollably, the ice creeped over the entirety of Konoha, quenching flames and eliminating smoke, but freezing buildings and objects and even _people_ , completely solid. Thick, overwhelming amounts of snow buffeted the roads, sleet appeared on rooftops and grounds – and those who were not frozen solid found themselves losing their footing in lieu of the suddenly different climate.

Fugaku had managed to evade the onslaught of ice by leaping into the air at the last minute – but many, many had not been that fortunate.

Konoha was frozen.

The temperatures had dropped to such a degree that Fugaku could see his breath appear in front of his face with every inhale and exhalation. More than that, the cold temperatures were _freezing_ –

Fugaku cursed. As if the situation had not been bad enough – but now, in this frigid hell, people would die of hypothermia. They would die from slipping on frozen ground or from being buried under an inexplicable mound of snow.

The death toll would skyrocket.

"Fugaku-san." A calm voice made him turn his attention to the sound, finding a familiar Weasel-Masked ANBU that he knew.

"Itachi," Fugaku said without preamble, in a time of such crises, ANBU secret identities were irrelevant – "We _need_ to melt this ice. Gather the Clan Members – everyone capable of using the Goukakyu – and –"

Both members of the Uchiha Clan felt something was _wrong_ , their eyes immediately sharpening as both of them leapt off of the snow-filled ground.

It was not a second too soon, as giant, sharp icicles had emerged from the snow and nearly killed them instantly.

"…Be on your guard Itachi –" Fugaku said cautiously. His Sharingan Eyes spun faster than he had ever willed it before, and it was the only thing which enabled him to bring out his sword and block a strike with a frozen senbon aimed at his neck.

"… You blocked my attack." A soft, feminine voice said, revealing their attacker to them.

She was a _girl_. Not even old enough to be considered a woman yet, probably just reaching the age of puberty, with a beautiful young face and long dark hair tied into a smooth bun. She wore what looked like a pure white _latex_ suit – the oddest choice for a kunoichi, yet, Fugaku's eyes nearly _burned_ as he observed the sheer amount of Chakra the suit contained.

More than that, his eyes could see the flow of chakra in it… and he didn't understand what he was seeing, or _how_ what he was seeing was even remotely possible.

She _vanished_ from his sight –

No, Fugaku realized. She hadn't vanished… she –

 _She was travelling in the ice._

"Tou-san –" Itachi warned, and Fugaku nodded, spinning around and –

 _Clang!_

"Again… you blocked my attack. _Again._ No one has ever blocked my attack _once_ , but you did it… _twice_." She said, frowning at him "How?"

Fugaku glared, his red, glowing three-tomoe eyes turning hypnotically, before, slowly, certainly, morphing into an entirely different pattern.

"You've never fought an Uchiha before."

* * *

 **XXXX**

* * *

 **Ruins of the Hokage Tower**

"Yosh! We must make haste friend Kakashi – friend Kurenai. Hokage-sama must not be left alone to fight these fiends!"

Kurenai Yuuhi grit her teeth as she stared at the frozen winterland that was now Konoha. It was not even recognizable in the slightest form or way anymore. Her home – frozen, with destroyed buildings and thick, heavy snow blanketing the ruins.

A part of her wished the village had chosen to take the Shepherd's offer. Surely, it would have been better than this? Better than all the death and destruction? How many had lost their lives today in the name of pointless pride? How many children had lost their parents, how many parents had lost their children, how many husbands their wives and wives their husbands?

She shivered, gritting her teeth even harder as the cold got to her. Her outfit was not designed for such harsh winter conditions, neither was the majority of the outfits of the Konohan shinobi. Worse – all of this damage had been done by supposedly only one person… one person had changed the entire weather and thus, the entire course of the battle.

And yet, she chose to join Kakashi and Gai as the _backup_ to aid the Hokage? She? She was a _Chunin_ – what even possessed her to do this –

"Gai, slow down." The voice of the prodigy spoke up. "It's odd that there isn't any backup that has already reached Hokage-sama. There should have been at least one, or two ANBU to aid him. Something is wrong."

She flickered her gaze unto Kakashi, the man who, with his mask, she could never tell what he was thinking. Never know what was going on in that head of his. But, she agreed with his premise.

"Kakashi-san is right – if _we_ decided to go back him up – others should have too. But – he's still fighting alone – so –"

"You feel that it is possible that there is an unyouthful enemy preventing re-inforcements?" Gai asked, frowning deeply.

"Or, a trap set out to stop people." Kakashi added. "We have to be cautious enough to –"

Kakashi and Gai stilled as they sensed a sudden burst of chakra.

"MOVE!"

Kurenai swore, tackling herself to the frozen ground and grimacing at how it numbed her skin. Kakashi and Gai both leapt in different directions, evading what seemed to be a small shower of fast moving projectiles.

She turned her gaze up, rapidly getting to her feet and trying to do her best to stick to the frozen floor, when, she suddenly came face-to-face with a strange albino looking man with white hair, who somehow invaded her personal space without her ever even realizing it.

"You seem scared." The boy said, casually, his voice almost inflectionless. "Why come to the battlefield with conflicted opinions? I can tell – you do not want to be here. Yet, you are. Why? Is this the 'courage' of which many people speak of? To do that which you do not wish to do yet attempt to do?"

Kurenai jumped backwards, doing her hardest to keep her pounding heart under control from how _closecloseclosesoclose_ the young man had been to her. If he wanted to kill her, she would have died long before she realized what happened.

"And who exactly might you be?" Kakashi asked, raising his headband and unveiling his Sharingan eye to stare at the pale-skinned man.

"I am Kimimaro, **Disciple General** of the Divine Empire, and I obey the wishes and commands of my lord, Shepherd-sama." The young boy said tonelessly, before bowing. "He has commanded me to keep people away from the battle between your Hokage and my senpai. I do not need to use deadly force to accomplish this, and I do not wish to unnecessarily kill you. If you choose to turn back, I shall not stop you nor shall I attack you."

Gai seemed to stare at the young man with something akin to recognition. "While it is good to see such an honorable fighter, we cannot turn back here, as it would be greatly dishonorable and most unyouthful to abandon Sandaime-sama."

The boy, Kimimaro, tilted his head in what looked like confusion. "I do not understand. Is your Kage not your strongest shinobi? Why then would he need assistance from those who are significantly weaker? Would you not merely be an obstruction and a liability?"

Kimimaro then shook his head disparagingly.

"Your comrades seemed to have the same opinion. All of them seemed to believe that they would be of help, and claimed that it was their responsibility. They were convicted. I, too, am convicted that Shepherd-sama's word is law, and I must obey his command. I challenged their convictions. My convictions seemed to surpass theirs."

Kimimaro rose his hands, and Kurenai held back the bile in her throat as bodies… _gods so many_ – bodies upon bodies of ANBU and even some Jonin, rose from underneath the ice, all of them, impaled violently in different manners by what looked like spikes made of pure bone. One woman was impaled from the mouth straight _through_ the _other_ _end_ , like a macabre painting, like pieces of meat haphazardly speared.

"I gave them all the chance to turn back. They refused. They unwisely wished to test their convictions against mine. Their convictions were weak, and they, weaker."

"I will _not_ stand here and listen to you disparage the hard work and sacrifices of my comrades, spit on their memories and mutiliate their remains!" Gai _roared_ , causing everyone to stare at him in shock.

"Gai – calm down – we need to –" Kakashi tried to be the voice of reason. _Tried_.

" _Gate of Healing! Open! Gate of Life! Open! Gate of Pain! Open!"_

Kurenai watched, transfixed as waves and waves of power and chakra rushed forth from the body of Konoha's Green Beast, as he kicked off from his position, shattering the ice and melting the snow around him as he blurred forward with his right fist extended.

"Do you also wish to test your convictions against mine?" Kimimaro asked casually, before he got into a stance. "Very well. Perhaps you will fare better than those who came before you."

He slammed his hands together, just as Gai got within striking distance, fist outstretched –

 _ **Sage Art: Fist of the Skeleton King**_

And a _giant_ _skeletal_ _hand_ rose up in response.

* * *

 **XXXX**

* * *

 **Ruins of the Hokage Monument**

Fast. Strong. Swift. _Dangerous_.

It had been a long time since Hiruzen had fought an opponent like the samurai in front of him. It had been too long. The man seemed to be in perfect fighting shape, he seemed to be capable of dodging even the craftiest and wiliest of Hiruzen's attacks – capable of taking any Ninjutsu he took without blinking or flinching.

Half of Sarutobi's arsenal was gone with that fact. Ninjutsu was ineffective against his opponents, and Hiruzen was not confident enough in his Taijutsu to be capable of contending with the man's Kenjutsu. Had he not lost Enma, he would have used his Bukijutsu – but it wasn't even an option anymore.

"Come on old man… _give me a challenge!"_

The swordsman, Kitami, got within close-range again, his swords swinging in an overhead strike. Hiruzen blocked, wielding kunai in both arms to block the swings. He winced from the force of the impact, gritting his teeth as he felt a few fingers break from the amount of force deceptively hidden behind the swing of the Samurai.

The aged Hokage swung his arms bringing up his left arm for a jab and his right for a slash across his opponent's eyes – neither connected. The kunai he jabbed into the man's stomach _shattered_ like he'd slammed it into steel, and the slash aimed for the man's eyes was effortlessly blocked with his long katanas.

Or at least, part of it – Hiruzen channeled wind chakra into it at the last second, aiming to deal some unexpected damage, only for the man to _scoff_ as he leaned backwards, somehow _predicting_ that move.

"This is getting tedious." The samurai said with a shake of his head, before slamming both his swords down in an overhead swing, forcing Hiruzen to leap to the air to evade the attack. He tossed out a kunai, simultaneously creating three **Shadow Clones** as he did, and casting another jutsu, the **Shadow Shuriken Technique.**

His opponent _barreled through_ the storm of Shurikens, surprising Hiruzen with the brazen, suicidal tactic, and then he connected the back of his leg with Hiruzen's stomach. The old man folded in half like a lawn-chair, coughing out spittle as he was sent crashing into the ice and snow from the impact.

"You're getting cocky Kitami," The Shepherd's clone said. "Beating up the elderly isn't something to be proud of."

Hiruzen coughed, taking in a deep breath as he turned his gaze to the clone of the young man that seemed content with making occasional quips and providing commentary.

"What do you hope to achieve from all this?" Hiruzen asked, "Destroying Konoha? Killing thousands? A Join-or-die ultimatum? I had believed your religion was one of peace?"

"Not entirely." The Shepherd admitted. "Believe it or not, I started all this with the goal of conquering the world."

Hiruzen's eyes shot up. The blatant truth smacking him in the face.

 _Danzo was right… All along – he was right._

"Such an evil goal, I know. Yet, in my pursuit of evil, I have accomplished more good for the Elemental Nations than men like _you_ have done, in their pursuit of _good_." The Shepherd professed.

He walked, hands behind his back and a smile on his face.

"In a little over thirteen years, I have ended civil wars without bloodshed, provided food, jobs, education and healthcare to those starving, unemployed, illiterate, and sick. I have revolutionized the Communication and Technology of the world, and developed newer, more effective methods of transportation. I industrialized the world's commerce, improved its method of trade and agriculture and day in and day out – I give the people _hope."_

The Shepherd declared. "Real or Fake – _I give them hope. Hope to live_. I inspire them, I motivate them and I have saved more lives than you have destroyed in your entire career."

The Shepherd then stared at him with… _disgust._

"So tell me, _Sandaime_ , in your over _seventy_ _years_ living on this planet…"

The Shepherd stared at him.

"What have you accomplished?"

* * *

 **XXXX**

* * *

 **Ruins of Konoha's Orphanage**

His village was under attack.

 _Cold._

His people were fighting for their home.

 _So very cold._

Entire districts had been destroyed in one attack.

 _Cold. Colder._

He couldn't move. He didn't know which way was up. He didn't know where the snow came from. But he was cold… so very cold…

Until he grabbed something. Something warm. Very warm. But – it was getting colder. Growing colder by the second.

 _No no no –_

His eyes, weary, opened to identify the source of his warmth –

 _It was her –_

"T-T-T-Ten-chan?" he rattled, the cold making his teeth slam against each other.

 _She wasn't responding._

"N-N-N-No – T-T-Ten-chan… c-c-come o-on – t-t-this isn't f-f-funny –"

 _She still wasn't responding._

"T-T-Ten-chan? T-Ten-t-ten –"

 _She wasn't moving._

"T-Ten-t-ten – p-please – y-y-you n-n-need t-t-to – w-w-wake up –"

 _She wasn't breathing._

"No – no – no – _**NONONONONONONONO! RAAAAGH!**_ **"**

He was warm now.

 _Hot – bubbling warmth –_

 _Snow was melting –_

 _Ice was sizzling –_

 _So warm._

 _Let everyone…_

 _Feel so warm._


	15. A Song of Ice and Fire - Part II

**So we conclude this two-chapter whirlwind of events, henceforth dubbed the start of - The Conquest Arc. Man I'm gonna get my smoothie and popcorn to read the varying fucking reactions from this later. Gonna be hilarious one way or another.**

 **Also, to Lolmax, Happy Birthday in arrears buddy. Kind of sucks that it came this late, like, a week or so after your birthday - but - you wanted an update for this story as a gift, and here it magnifcently is.**

 **Lucifer - Out.**

* * *

 **XXXX**

* * *

 **Konoha**

 **Nara Clan Compound**

"You know, this is nowhere near as fun as I thought it would be."

A man coughed violently, blood spitting out from his mouth and staining the previously pristine white snow. A violent kick connected with his ribs a second time, sending his eyes wide, as a sickening crack echoed from what was no doubt the fifth rib having being broken.

"Sigh… it's no fun when you don't scream." A third kick. "When you don't beg." A fourth kick. "When you don't _enjoy_ it. Pain is _good_ you know? When you get enough of it – when you've bathed in it – it's almost indistinguishable from _pleasure_." A sensual moan. "Of course, it's even better when the person responsible for the pain is lovely and attractive."

The woman stood over him, clad in white spandex that was worn over an elegant kimono that could barely be classified as clothes. Elegant blue sashes in the front and back, and a small crop covering over her breasts. Her long, dull white stiletto heels, were soundless in the snow, and her beautiful face and elegant hair was mired by an expression that would not be out of place on a nymphomaniac in a brothel.

"Am I not attractive, Shikaku-dono?"

Nara Shikaku would not have answered this question even if he could. He already deduced the type of opponent he was facing against. A woman with clear sadomasochistic tendencies, blind devotion, and a deceptive grace. He stared, in irritation and in cold contempt, at what remained of his entire clan. Their bodies, littered about, dismembered, broken, pierced, ablaze – all of them demolished.

By one woman.

A heel slammed down into his palm, piercing it and pinning it to the snow. He resisted the urge to scream.

"Now, now, Shikaku-dono. Didn't your wife ever tell you it's rude to ignore a lady's question?" The woman smiled down at him. "So I'm going to ask you another one. I _know_ there are secret tunnels to smuggle out the civilians and children in the case of an attack. I'm also aware of the fact that there are reverse-summoning seals designed to aid a hasty retreat in the case of an invasion, or worse, a full-blown civil war."

Shikaku's eyes widened.

"Oh don't be so surprised Shikaku-dono. I serve an omnipresent being and he knows about you – he knows about how you grew embittered at a militaristic Konoha. How you cautioned the Sandaime about handing over so much power to his friend, Danzo. How you flew into a rage once you realized that the academy was indoctrinating and brainwashing your beloved son. He knows – all of it."

The woman shook her head. "A shame. The true hero of Konoha is right here – Shikaku Nara. The man who wisely teleported and evacuated as many children and innocents from Konoha the second he saw an enemy ship flying through the air and realized there was no way victory was possible. But, you probably saved how many… twenty? Twenty-five per cent of the population? All the current Clan Heirs and Heiresses were included in that list, weren't they?"

Her 'smile' grew venomous.

"Of course, you happened to have made my mission a _little_ bit more difficult. You see – I was supposed to kill or capture all of those precious little gems. Now – now I'll have to _hunt_ them."

"Shikaku!"

Both male and female turned, or more accurately, Shikaku turned to the sound of a voice, whereas the woman turned to the sight of a giant, meaty fist. A meteoric boom echoed from the point of the impact – the resounding shockwave displacing the snow and sending rapid gusts of wind dispersing from the epicenter.

"Oh? What's this? More lambs to the slaughter?"

The woman, stood, amusedly staring at the giant fist in front of her, her right palm outstretched to stop the attack in its tracks. The newcomers arrived, shock clear on their face at the failure of their surprise attack.

"Chouza! Butterfly Catcher Formation!"

"Hai!"

The giant fist did not bother pushing back, rather, it opened into a full palm, and a second palm followed in a thunderous clap. Had the woman been anyone, _anything_ , else, she would have been flattened into paste by the thunderous force of the clap which echoed throughout the village, as the champion of the clan of titans smacked his hands together as though attempting to catch a mosquito.

Rather than being flattened, the woman merely stared on in amusement. "My, my, so bold."

The blonde man amidst them frowned, but, unperturbed, he launched out his hands in the famous sign of his clan Jutsu.

"NO! Inoichi – don't –" Shikaku could barely get out the warning.

The problematic part of the **Shintenshin no Jutsu** was that it was effectively an all-or-nothing technique, and it was not designed with the possibility that the enemy might block or evade it. Hence why it worked best in an Ino-Shika-Cho Trio, where other members of the team would ensure that the enemy could not move away from its range.

In this situation, they had 'trapped' the enemy, and the technique was guaranteed to hit –

Except –

 _She's immune to ninjutsu._

Shikaku had seen it. It was the reason she could exterminate his clansmen like they were a band of slightly rabid donkeys. Their infamous Shadow Possession Jutsu failed to work. The second their shadows connected with hers – it was _absorbed._ Their _chakra_ was absorbed. It left many of the clan members effectively defenseless. Their taijutsu was not the strongest of all the clans in Konoha, and conventional traps and tactics were _useless_ when your opponent was powerful enough to barrel through them, and make a sarcastic retort whilst doing so. Kunai, shuriken, exploding paper bombs, trenches, pitfalls –

All were _useless_.

The overreliance on clan jutsu only became clear to Shikaku as he watched the woman snap necks while twisting her nipples, and rip out spinal cords whilst rubbing her thighs. The Nara Clan was not a clan that specialized in possessing overwhelming firepower – and they paid the price for it.

The Yamanaka Clan was the same. The difference however, was that Shikaku had no idea as to what would even _happen_ if Inoichi attempted to use his Jutsu on the woman. The best case scenario would be nothing happening. The worst case scenario would be Inoichi's consciousness bouncing off into space.

The technique connected.

Inoichi went limp, falling to the ground.

And the woman –

The woman –

"I – I did it –" she said, clenching her fists, before immediately turning to Shikaku, removing 'her' leg from his hand. "I'm in control."

Shikaku, clearly, was not so sure. "What is my verification question?"

"The reason you married Yoshino."

"The answer?" Shikaku probed.

"Because she reminded you of your grandmother."

The man relaxed visibly. Likewise, the giant hands faded, vanishing away and receding back to the normal meaty arms of Chouza. The large man walked up, staring at a scene he had gotten used to for years, people being possessed by his friend. He then turned to his other comrade, grimacing at the wounds.

"Are you alright Shikaku?"

"No, no I'm not." Shikaku answered bluntly. "That's… surprising. I wasn't expecting your technique to work. Her outfit – the spandex – it has absorbed nearly all forms of chakra used against it. My Clan Jutsu managed to hold her for a few seconds before it absorbed the chakra I was channeling into it, and nearly sapped me dry in seconds. But your technique –"

"Maybe it doesn't work on Yin-Yang Chakra?" Chouza offered.

Yin-Yang Chakra. The 'hidden' aspects of chakra that wasn't taught in schools, that was the foundation for the clan techniques of the Yamanaka and Nara clans. The Yamanaka's mind techniques were pure Yin Chakra. The Nara techniques were pure Yang Chakra. Could it be?

"No – if such were the case, my Yang Chakra would not have been absorbed –" he shook his head. "We don't have time to debate this – we need to –"

'Inoichi' suddenly shuddered, holding 'her' stomach. "Shikaku… I – I don't feel so –"

'Inoichi' let out a _roar_ of primal pain and fury, as 'his' eyes burned a pure, pristine white.

" **YOU DARE! YOU FUCKING DARE!** "

Shikaku's eyes widened at the shockwave and pressure of visible pure chakra that began emanating from the woman's form.

" **NO ONE! NO ONE BUT SHEPHARD-SAMA! NO ONE BUT HIM HAS THAT RIGHT! GET! OUT! OF! MY! HEAD!"**

In a scene that would forever haunt the memory of any who was unfortunate enough to witness it, a wispy, incorporeal, white visage of Inoichi Yamanaka emerged from the woman's body – and – like a ghost – let out an ear-piercing _screech_ –

Before sucking itself into the woman's form.

There was absolute silence.

The silence was only broken by the sound of heavy panting, ragged breathing, as the woman returned, her eyes possessing a burning wrath within them, one that is equal parts madness and fury.

 _Wha... What did she do? What just happened?_

If Shikaku were a dumber man, he would have asked that question out loud. Perhaps, he would have believed that the woman was aware of what just transgressed, or perhaps, he hoped, in the deepest parts of his mind, that he had not just witnessed the destruction and _absorption_ of his friend's soul and consciousness. Or perhaps, he would have asked, if he made the folly of believing the woman was in any state to answer such questions, or even, to grant him a momentary reprieve from the ear-numbing screech that haunted his mind.

But he did not ask.

He did not ask, because the answer would be irrelevant.

He did not ask, because in those raging eyes – he saw only one outcome.

" **Die.** "

A catastrophic shockwave of what he now realized was pure _Yin Chakra_ , rushed out from the woman's body –

No – not pure Yin Chakra. _Senjutsu Augmented Yin-Chakra_.

There was no time to dwell on this discovery, as he witnessed his entire life fly before him in seconds – a phenomena he did not believe was possible, a phenomena he often dismissed with amusement –

" _Hey tou-san. It's your turn to do the dishes."_

" _Mah, it's too troublesome."_

" _I know."_

" _Let's decide this over a game."_

"… _how would that benefit me?"_

" _You don't have to do any chores next week if you win."_

" _Ka-chan would never agree to that."_

"… _No. No she wouldn't."_

"… _We're not going to tell her are we?"_

" _No, we're not."_

Of all the memories –

" _They said we should call them clods, tou-san."_

" _That's a ridiculous name."_

" _I'm serious tou-san. The war is serious – we have to protect Konoha from everyone."_

" _From everyone? Why everyone?"_

" _Because everyone is the enemy."_

" _And why is everyone the enemy?"_

" _Because they're not us."_

" _And that makes them the enemy? Being different? Shikamaru – listen to yourself. You're not making any sense."_

" _I'm trying to do something here tou-san. I'm trying to protect Konoha and end this war –"_

" _You're just a child Shikamaru. It's not your job to –"_

" _Well it was yours. It was your job tou-san. Until you quit because you didn't want to work with Commander Danzo. Because you liked the old days. Of peace, and cloud-watching and lazing around. Things have changed tou-san. It's just you who doesn't want to change with it."_

Of all the memories –

" _Well?"_

" _You do realize a conspiracy like this is tantamount to treason should it be discovered, Shikaku-san?"_

" _Pft. Treason my fucking ass. Move aside Aburame. I'm all for it. Nowadays all my son Kiba rants about is fighting in the war and killing clods. I don't want to see him die because the Sandaime's too old to realize this isn't the Warring Clans Era anymore."_

" _I never thought Konoha could become like this… all of this… this brainwashing and propaganda program – it's my fault –"_

" _At ease, Inoichi. You were merely following orders. No one could have believed Danzo would have been capable of doing all this with your theories on psychological grooming. Nor could we have predicted the events of Kumo's failed kidnapping... My daughter – I cannot believe what has happened to her. She is cold – too cold. She is the perfect shinobi I always wanted, but – she sees me as more of a tool to grow her strength than as a father. She believes this entire war is her fault – she believes that if she had been strong enough to escape, so many would not have died."_

" _The fuck it is! Kumo's to blame for that – not Hinata. Hell, I doubt I could take down a Jonin when I was thirteen, let alone three."_

" _Fugaku-san, you've been strangely quiet. What are your thoughts on all of this?"_

" _Nara. Will my son and wife be safe?"_

" _Yes."_

" _That is all I need."_

" _Then it is official. All the clans have agreed – we will have the special tunnels and reverse-summoning seals created in secret. The rendezvous point is –"_

These memories –

Shikaku's eyes snapped open as he realized it. Those particular sequence of memories, he turned to the sight of the woman, standing in front of him. He stared at his body, still wounded, but not dead. And realization dawned.

"Y-you –"

She _smiled_. "Such a smart man. Although, you should have realized something was wrong when your friend's technique even connected in the first place."

Horror welled up in the pit of his stomach.

"As I said, _I serve an omnipresent being_. Your intellect cannot surpass his, and now, you've given me a beautiful little gift."

"Shikaku? What's going on? What is she talking about?"

His throat felt dry.

"Of course the fat bearded man is too dense to understand." The woman said, rolling her eyes. "I _let_ your friend possess me – just so I could be able to do this – **Sage Art: Mind-Body Puppet.** "

"Wha – Shikaku! What's –"

Chouza barely let out a word, before his own hands came up to his neck, and violently twisted them. The sickening _crack_ echoed loudly throughout the snowy field, leaving Shikaku staring numbly.

"And… your turn."

Shikaku Nara stared in horror as his own hands came up to his neck, grasping against them with more force than he ever believed he could muster. Nothing he did, no amount of effort he used, would let him take back control of his arms.

"Don't worry, I'll be sure to take care of your dearest _Shikamaru_ for you."

 _CRACK!_

And Shikaku Nara saw nothingness.

Not before an overwhelming, deafening roar was unleashed throughout the village – and a pillar of swirling red chakra raced to the clouds.

* * *

 **XXXX**

* * *

 **Konoha**

 **Remains of the Hokage Tower**

 _What type of shinobi are these?!_

Yuhi Kurenai could do nothing but dodge and hide in the wake of the monsters that waged battle, guised in the thin veneer of men. The Green Beast of Konoha wore that epithet with pride, as his eyes were white, and his entire skin bore a red hint from now unlocking the Fifth Gate. His opponent, with chalky skin and an emotionless face, matched the Green Beast blow for blow, surrounded by a _literal_ giant skeleton.

The **Skeleton King** he called it – a devastating combination of offense and defense. None of Gai's blows or kicks could pierce its defense, but its fingers and movements were deceptively agile for its monstrous size. At the 'heart' of the entity, the controller stood, commanding the entity to move and obey with ne'er a single motion.

One would believe that fighting in the center of a thirty-foot skeleton would be disadvantageous – but, it wasn't. Oh dear god it wasn't.

Gai kicked up from the earth, snow turning to water and then to mere vapor from the sheer power of his launch. His right fist extended he aimed for the center of mass, where the boy, Kimimaro, stood. A giant hand, swung, the speed of the movement sending massive thirty-mile-an-hour winds in its wake, and slammed down on the taijutsu specialist like a child dislodging a bug from the air. Gai crashed into the snow, a comet, the force of his impact being enough to break through whatever was left of the Hokage Tower, flying straight down until he was buried in a giant crater of snow.

Kurenai grit her teeth at the scene, even worse, she stared at the Skeleton King –

Only to freeze solid as the giant skeleton was gone and instead, she felt a distinct presence towering behind her.

 _Her breath stopped_.

 _No – not – not possible!_

Normally, the larger an object was, the slower it moved. However, no one had given this monster the memo. If anything, it moved _faster_ than normal sized objects and people.

"Do you also wish to test your convictions?" Kimimaro spoke. "If you do not, then leave now. I have no interest in fighting those with wavering resolutions."

 _Take the offer_.

 _TAKE THE FUCKING OFFER AND RUN!_

All her instincts screamed to her. Every bone and fiber in her body that wasn't shaking from the sight of the giant skeleton was telling her that this was the right choice. If she fought here – she would die. No ifs, ands, or buts. She was barely B-Rank – and this – this battle was firmly entering S-Rank territory. If not _beyond_.

The sound of sharp chirping reached her ears, reminding her that she was not the only person on this battlefield. Likewise, it reached the ears of her opponent, who turned his gaze skyward. Hatake Kakashi, swooped down from the skies like an eagle of death. Infamous **Chidori** in one hand, Sharingan eye blurring in the other, he struck.

Already, the **Skeleton King's** hand rose up to intercept the attack – and then lightning met bone.

 _CLANG!_

Bone prevailed.

Kimimaro tilted his head. "Was that your attempt at being useful?"

The words chilled her to the bone. More so, she watched as the **Skeleton King** grasped Kakashi in its bony fingers, squeezing the life out of the man as though he were an annoying pimple. He screamed, for all of three seconds, before exploding into lightning. _A lightning clone…_ Kurenai realized. _He made a lighting clone use his signature technique, as a diversion?_

 _But a diversion for what?_

" **DYNAMIC RE-ENTRY!"**

A massive _kick_ connected with Kimimaro, detaching him from his bony avatar and sending him tumbling heads-over-heels over the snow. A deafening _boom_ followed the impact, and Kurenai's ears rang from the realization that the sound barrier just shattered.

The green _blur_ rushed upon his ragdolling opponent, fists _hazing_ away into a movement faster than her eyes could follow. Punch after punch after punch rained down upon the body of his target, so much that the _air_ around his hands caught fire, burning with the sheer friction.

" **MORNING PEACOCK!** "

A final punch ended it, sending his opponent racing out of sight, a small missile, until he crashed straight _into_ and _through_ the Hokage Monument.

Kurenai's ears ached. Her body, she found, was drenched in cold sweat. Despite the snow, she felt overwhelming warm.

"We… we… did it?" she asked, unsure herself.

Kakashi appeared beside her, his face as expressionless as ever. "That was smart of you to distract him with a Genjutsu. I needed enough time to charge that **Raikiri**."

She… _what?_ "I di –" she closed her mouth.

"Kunoichi are often known for their ability to distract opponents on the field." Kakashi said without letting her speak. "You did exemplary work. Let's move on and meet with Hokage-sama."

She…

She just _stood_ there!

She _didn't do anything!_

 _Anything!_

She was even contemplating _running away_!

Somehow, she'd… distracted the opponent? What sort of laughable excuse was that? Was this Kakashi Hatake's way of mocking her?

" **Sage Art: Boneyard Festival.** "

The ambient chakra _spiked_ , and she felt it the same time Kakashi did, turning their eyes to each other. The chakra, it reminded them of what had happened before Konoha had become a frozen wasteland –

"Dear… god."

Bones.

Sharp, spiky bones.

A second topographical metamorphosis hit the village of Konohagakure no Sato. An infestation of bones rose from the earth like a lit matchstick dropped in a sea of gasoline. The bones rippled out, rising, one after the other, from the faces of the Hokage Monument, outwards in an elliptical pattern. A casual observer watching from up above would mistakenly believe that the outcropping of bones was a landslide of chalk, covering and encasing every single thing in its path.

"Move! Move! Move!"

"What about Gai?!"

"He's –"

Another _boom_ of the shattering sound barrier rang in her ears.

"–going to fight."

"Are we – we're leaving him to fight that monster on his own?!"

"We don't have a choice."

A ground breaking _roar_ echoed throughout all of Konoha, and Kurenai swore, she swore to every deity under the sun and every decision she had ever made in her life. As though they didn't have _enough_ on their plates already –

A sickening chakra and weight settled on their shoulders, and in the distance, a pillar of red chakra shot to the sky.

* * *

XXXX

* * *

 **Konoha**

 **Residential Districts**

The sheer cockiness.

 _Never fought an Uchiha before?_

Who did he think he was? So he managed to block two of her strikes. Fine. That was nothing. There was no way in hell she wouldn't be able to put him down. Not when Shepherd-sama was watching. No. She would not be the only one to fail her mission. Under no circumstances would she let that happen.

" **Katon: Mekkakyu.** "

She blinked at the _sea_ of fire that rushed forth at her and suddenly realized that she was facing an S-Rank opponent. No one below S-Rank would be capable of doing that. No – absolutely not. The fire burst forth from his lips in waves that would have made the ocean green with envy. Her snow thawed into water, and the flames raced forth at her. Of course, with Shepherd-sama's **Divine Suit** , there was nothing to fear. Instead, she licked her lips, and charged _forward_ into the flames.

Only to be surprised as two clones of the second Uchiha – the weasel anbu – appeared by her sides. Her eyes widened as the first clone grabbed her neck in a choke hold. The second rushed forth, kunai plunging straight for her throat.

 _What… who… who uses an S-Rank Fire Jutsu as a diversion?_

She spat out, her glob of saliva shooting into the air and freezing into ice. She vanished from the chokehold, escaping the clone's grasp as she travelled into the frozen spit –

Only for the clone to turn around, and thrust a kunai with an explosive tag straight at it.

 _What –_

She escaped from the ice, finding herself now in an icicle, a fair distance away from the battle. Her chest burned with heat that she'd never experienced before. Her nerves were jumbled from the unexpected swiftness and reaction speed of that weasel-anbu.

 _You've never fought an Uchiha before_.

Were all Uchiha that fast? It was as though he knew what she was going to do even before she did it –

Then there was her actual target, Fugaku. The man who cast an S-Rank Fire technique as a _distraction_. Who did that? Who could afford to waste chakra like that?

"Once you've entered my line of sight, there is no escape."

Those words were the only warning she received before she instinctively vanished on top a small mound of snow –

The Weasel ANBU was there.

 _How?!_

 _Am I under a Genjutsu? No – not possible – Shepherd-sama said Genjutsu can't affect me while I'm wearing this suit – so – how –_

She grit her teeth, immediately engaging in taijutsu with her frozen senbon. All she needed was one touch – to let them stab her target, and she could freeze him solid –

She lunged at his throat with her left hand, and he casually blocked the lunge with a slap of the arm, in that same movement, he stepped into her guard, his kunai aimed straight at her right eye socket. She put up a hasty block with her right senbon – only for the kunai aimed at her right eyeball to somehow _curve_ around the intended target, and slam into the back of her neck.

It shattered against her **Divine Armor**.

A cold chill fell over her as she realized, were it not for her armor – that would have been a killing blow.

 _His kunai… curved?_

Her eyes trailed at his fingers, and her eyes slowly widened at the small, thin object which barely shone in the light.

 _Ninja wire?_

 _He's manipulating… ninja wire on his tools?_

She'd nearly been killed by something so… _rudimentary?_

The _rudimentary_ tool suddenly, tightened, reminding her of her situation, as it wrapped around her throat. She escaped with a quick movement into her left frozen senbon, then, rapidly jumped to her right whilst the object was still in free-fall – emerging from it in a backwards leap, she immediately began making one-handed signs.

" **Sage Art: Ice Release: Stalactite Storm!** "

A rain of meteoric ice appeared and shot forward at breakneck speeds towards the Weasel-ANBU, only for the man to break out into a storm of crows that flew into the air in different directions.

" **Goukakyu**."

A searing ball of fire emerged from the air, as her target appeared, Fugaku, arriving from the sky _somehow_. She wasn't going to make the same mistake of lunging forward after it, or after the man, as, this could merely be another diversionary tactic. She retreated with a quick flash to one of her stalactites, moving from it to a vantage point behind the man, all in the span of a single second.

Only for her to meet the Weasel Masked ANBU – _again._

"HOW?!" She roared "There's no way you can actually keep up with me – so how?!"

Her response was a kick that connected to her stomach, the first solid _hit_ she'd taken in years – before the ANBU slammed two kunai into both sides of her head. Or _attempted to_ , as her entire body was charged with Senjutsu Chakra, and hence, the kunai merely connected against her like wooden rulers, before shattering again.

She growled, vanishing from her place, and then immediately appearing behind the man, stabbing two kunai of her own into his stomach –

Only for him to burst into crows, _again_.

The crows blinded her for a brief second, a moment of time that was enough for Fugaku Uchiha to appear in front of her, two kunai in hand –

Didn't he learn?! You can't hurt her with –

The man, and _both_ kunai exploded. One in a flash of light, and the other, in a rush of heat and fire.

The shockwave deafened her and the light blinded her.

Her suit could provide defenses that were beyond superhuman, but there were limitations. The parts that weren't covered, (head, eyes, ears, mouth and nose) did not have the same protections as those covered by the suit. They were only protected by a layer of pure Senjutsu Chakra. But – the problem was – it wasn't infinite. Stronger skin and thicker defenses, yes, but Senjutsu did not mean invulnerable.

She realized this when the Weasel-ANBU appeared again, his _sword_ in hand this time, and he swung for her face. She barely dodged, only for her eyes to trail the line of ninja wire attached to his blade, and for her to watch as he let it release from his hand, his initial swing nothing but a feint.

The blade scratched against the side of her cheek, as she vanished into an icicle.

Disbelief colored her face as she rubbed the small trail of blood.

She had not bled in a fight in years.

"…How?"

Why couldn't she land a hit on these people?

She was… running and hiding, on the defensive?

No –

She grit her teeth. _No._

She focused on the ice, finding a spot that would perfect for her to launch her counter-attack – and she moved there. Instantaneous. Less than a second. Her speed of movement between ice was _faster_ than one's ability to blink. _Yet_ –

She emerged from the snow halfway, daggers of ice in both hands which she plunged into the feet of her opponent –

Only for a sword to slam into her right hand in response.

She barely let out a scream before another one, aimed for her left eye, came crashing down.

* * *

 **XXXX**

* * *

Inexperienced.

That was Fugaku's major thought. The girl he was fighting was so woefully inexperienced. She possessed tremendous speed and yet she used it so _obviously_. He was Fugaku Uchiha. For a short while, he had been teammates with _Minato Namikaze_. The _Yellow Flash_. So he _knew_ , how to deal with fast opponents, and even better yet still, with teleporters.

Minato would have laughed at this girl. She was making all the mistakes he first made after mastering the Second Hokage's **Flying Thunder God**. She was attacking clear blind spots, and _always_ aiming for ambushes and surprise attacks. The problematic issue with being so fast, you relied on your opponent not being able to react to your speed as your primary strength, and you saw no need for head-on conflict.

Minato overcame this problem by attacking at awkward, unpredictable, gravity defying angles. Upside-down in front of an opponent, to the diagonal side of an opponent, or even _on top_ of an opponent. He bounced his kunai in ways and realized that there were far too many options as a teleporter, so one had to always pick the _least easiest_ ones.

This girl knew nothing of such tactics.

She continued, tirelessly aiming at backstabs, surprise attacks and hit-and-run tactics. As such, Fugaku was not _consciously_ dodging or evading her attacks. Rather, he and his son _instinctively_ countered them. Moreover, they possessed the **Sharingan**. The name of the Uchiha Clan Taijutsu was called the **Interceptor** **Fist** , a style, to the girl's misfortune, designed to counter opponents faster than you were.

Of course, she was also at a disadvantage because Fugaku could see her chakra. The **Sharingan** , although not quite as detailed as the **Byakugan** , enabled for the seeing of the movement of your opponent's chakra, which was how they copied jutsu. The girl's chakra was a beacon to any sensor, and to doujutsu users, it was like a giant flare. Overwhelming, oversaturated, the suit she wore constantly absorbed chakra from the air and returned it outwards, and to people with eyes like his, this was a _very_ visible phenomenon.

He could tell from merely seeing her that Ninjutsu and Genjutsu would be of no effect. The suit was capable of absorbing chakra from the environment, and hence, it would be foolish to make it incapable of doing the same to foreign sources.

However unfortunate it was for her, that her suit was a double-edged sword. It granted her chakra and power, but so much of it that she was a _flare_ to his **Sharingan** eyesight. It would be _impossible_ to not be able to keep track of her.

Even when hiding in the ice, she was detectable. He was well aware of where she was when she teleported.

A skilled enough sensor would also be the death of her, Fugaku noted. They would sense the overwhelming chakra emitted from her suit from miles away, and they would know where she intended to teleport to even before she did.

All of this, coupled with the girl's sheer lack of combat experience made it an easy victory. The **Sharingan** was the perfect counter to her surprise teleporting, and her taijutsu was not a match for the Interceptor Fist.

Truly, had she chosen to fight anyone _but_ an Uchiha – she would have been victorious.

Alas –

Fugaku slammed the blade into the girl's face.

She screamed.

"MY EYE! MY EYE! AAAGH!"

Fugaku frowned, watching as the girl vanished away before he the blade could have pierced past her eye and into her brain. She clutched her bleeding left eye desperately, making Fugaku shake his head even further.

Such a lack of professionalism. Such blatant lack of experience.

Any shinobi who made such a big deal about losing a body part whilst still in combat, was one he could not take seriously.

His **Sharingan** picked up a _spike_ in chakra, and he narrowed his gaze. She was about to cast a ninjutsu. A very powerful one. From the sheer volume of chakra, he knew it was S-Rank. Already, he substituted himself away and left a clone in his place, the action happening so seamlessly, only someone with a special doujutsu would have realized something was amiss.

The earth began rumbling, and he turned his gaze upwards, finding what seemed to be… _bones?_

Bones – racing forth from the ground.

Interesting. First, a Yuki, and now, a Kaguya.

This **Divine Empire** was accumulating Bloodline Wielders. He would need to ensure that no **Sharingan** eyes were missing from any deceased members of his clan after this incident.

An earth-shattering _roar_ immediately followed, and Fugaku's hair stood on end from the malignant sensation that filled the air, and the pillar of blazing chakra that shot forth into the sky.

"Itachi."

His son appeared before him.

"Yes, tou-san?"

"We're retreating."

"Tou-san –"

"Only a fool fights a lost battle, Itachi." He said, sharply turning his gaze to his son. "We will leave a few clones to keep the girl busy – or perhaps capture her, given her lack of experience and her inability to recognize clones. But, we must leave. Now."

Fugaku took in a deep breath.

"Konoha may fall but I will not let the Uchiha Clan fall with it."

* * *

 **XXXX**

* * *

 **Ruins of the Hokage Monument**

"Hurry it up Kitami, we might as well give the Sandaime a fitting end here."

Hiruzen coughed out blood, wheezing, panting, squinting out of one eye as every bone in his body ached and screamed. His opponent, casually wielding his swords, _sauntered_ towards him, _him_ the Hokage – the one supposed to protect his village – and he – he had failed them.

He turned to the clone of the 'Shepherd', and Hiruzen grit his teeth. Had he been fighting off against the original, rather than a mere clone, he would have attempted a last gambit – a risky one, a gambit that would have saved Konoha, if not the entire world.

"Wait,"

The single command sent confusion through both the Hokage and the Samurai.

"Hiruzen – before you die, tell me something." The Shepherd asked, conversationally. "Where is Danzo, truly? The man is the hardest person to find even by _my_ standards – and although I destroyed the ANBU Barracks, it feels a little unlikely that he'd have died so easily."

A moment of reprieve. A moment. An opportunity. This – this was what Hiruzen needed. What he required.

"My old friend is – "

He was interrupted, cut short as a _blur_ barreled into the Monument, shooting into the snow-covered rock and tearing _past_ it. The shockwave from the impact shook the earth, and immediately kicked up a cloud of dust large enough for Hiruzen to almost believe that Kami himself was on his side. Immediately, he began blurring through handsigns. He was old, and in all his years, he had gathered and compiled an exhaustive list of every single technique known in Konoha, every single jutsu, both clan jutsus, hidden jutsu, and forbidden jutsu. His opponent was immune to Jutsu of all sorts, but this was a special type of jutsu.

He had almost reached the last handsign, _almost_ , before _bones_ broke forth from the ground, forcing him to abandon his jutsu lest he be skewered. The bones _raced_ across the earth, across the village, shooting past and onwards, turning what was left of Konoha into some nightmarish hell. Hiruzen landed on the side of the bones with the tree-walking technique, now well and fully several feet in the air courtesy of the giant bones.

 _A Kaguya. There is a Kaguya amongst them?_

" **HOKAGE-SAMA!** "

The Hokage turned his attention to the red-hued blur racing towards him.

"I HAVE COME TO YOUR ASSISTANCE HOKAGE-SAMA!" Maito Gai, Konoha's Strongest Jonin, roared at the top of his voice.

In that brief instance, Sarutobi Hiruzen felt it, the glimmer of hope that would arrive, the strength of unity that only Konoha could boast of, the united front that would take down any opponent. And so, his spirits lifted. His mind steeled. And he was, once more, ready to engage in battle.

Until a _frigid_ voice broke out.

" **You made me fail Shepherd-sama.** "

 _Dread._

 _Dread._

 _Dread._

 _Dread._

 _Dread._

 _Dread._

 _Dread._

 _Dread._

 _Dread._

 _Dread._

Hiruzen grasped his chest. The _overwhelming_ amount of **killing** **intent** –

Gai was frozen in his tracks. The normally upbeat Jonin stood, motionless at the sheer aura of despair. An _avatar of death_ , rose forth from the bones, riding on the palm of a giant skeleton. His palm outstretched, his eyes a burning lake of iniquity –

" **Sage Art: Kaguya Clan Ultimate Technique: All Killing Ash Bones.** "

* * *

 **XXXX**

* * *

 **Ruins of the Konoha Orphanage**

He sighed as he stared at the spiraling chakra. Stared at the boy surrounded by dark chakra, with his whisker marks feral and circling him. With two-tails worth of Kyubi chakra – the boy's speed and strength would be augmented at the cost of his technique and reason. As he was now, he was weaker, not stronger.

He was also in pain. In a tremendous amount of pain.

The man stared at what had become of his home. Even with the fastest technique he knew, he still made it too late. Too late. He was always too late. Too late for Tsunade. Too late for Orochimaru. Too late for Nagato, Yahiko, and Konan. Too late for Minato. Too late for Sakumo.

Something smacked him at the back of his ear.

"Now is not da time to be feelin' sorry for yourself Jiraiya boy!"

"I know." He said, without complaint. "Come on ma – pa – we have a job to do."

"Are you ready, Jiraiya-sama?"

He turned his attention to the plain-masked ANBU who had been the one to fetch him. On "Danzo's" orders. Of course, he had not fetched him in time to arrive and stop the battle. Only now, and here, to 'subdue' the Jinchuriki and ensure 'Konoha's most valuable asset did not land in enemy hands.'

It was a tough choice between rushing to his Sensei's aid, ignoring Danzo's commands and orders, or rushing to his godson. In the end, he chose his godson. He hoped he hadn't chose wrong.

"Do it."

" **Mokuton –"**

It was a fast job. It was a thankless job. Two Tails Chakra Cloak was no match for the Mokuton, and for a Sannin augmented with Sage Mode. And so, with the boy subdued in record time, Jiraiya held his godson under his arm.

He stared, one last time, at his village. At the snowy forest of bones that was once Konoha. Hatred bubbled at the back of his throat. But more than that, more than his hate, more than his loathing –

He felt guilt.

He felt sorrow.

He felt grief.

"Konoha… has fallen."

* * *

 **XXXX**

* * *

 **Shepherd Flagship**

 **Main Briefing Room**

"What do you have to say for yourselves?"

I smiled 'benevolently' as I looked down at my two followers. They both knelt, unable to look up, and most certainly not going to look up, if I had anything to say about it.

"Kimimaro – you failed your mission and ended up intervening in Kitami's mission. You were _not_ supposed to kill the Hokage. Nor were you to unleash your ultimate technique."

I turned to Haku. "Haku."

She flinched. Her left eye was covered by a bandage, and she reminded me of the first time I saw her.

"You lost against Fugaku and Itachi." She flinched again.

Truthfully, I found the situation more _amusing_ than it was bothersome. The **Brethren** and **Commanders** completed their tasks, so Konoha was effectively a wasteland now. No living beings remained, as they slaughtered those I told them to slaughter, and save those I told them to save. This, of course, was a rather reduced number due to the use of the topographical warfare that killed a vast majority. So, I was not bothered.

Koyuki completed her task and my experiment as well – attaining esper-like abilities from absorbing the _soul_ and raw yin chakra of Inoichi Yamanaka. Her control over the Yamanaka techniques far stripped and surpassed anything capable of being recreated, so I had a new strong officer on my side.

Extra pros: The Hokage was dead. The Sandaime would no longer walk amongst the land of the living, and neither would Maito Gai, two strong opponents. Of course, my intention had been to let Kitami kill Hiruzen in order to accumulate the needed 'rep' and have it in the bingo books – having the "Godslayer of Shinobi" as my lieutenant would have been a tremendous boon. Now, that honor went to Kimimaro… and it was slightly less credible, because Kimimaro simply did not appear to be the sort of person capable of killing the Hokage.

 _Although_ , he _was_ a Kaguya… so I would have to push for that angle, and it helped that his bones would take a _long, long_ time to rot, fade-away or disintegrate, unlike Haku's ice and snow, so there was permanent proof, scarred on the earth as to his sheer power.

Cons: Itachi, Fugaku and numerous Uchiha Clan members were still alive, as were the rest of the Rookie Twelve… Plus or Minus Team Ten. Neji, probably, Tenten and Lee… not so much. Itachi was the biggest threat out of all of them – though, this might be due to me overestimating his ability. Still, he would most likely succumb from his illness sooner or later. The Uchiha Clan _was_ an issue – the last thing I needed was for an army of Susanoo Warriors, if vast majorities of them unlocked the Mangekyo from this event. Then… the Rookie Twelve…

Only Naruto and Sasuke were real threats.

I pursed my lips as I thought over them, leaving the room deep in silence as people assumed I was contemplating a punishment for Haku and Kimimaro.

I couldn't move on Naruto yet – not without outright making it clear to 'those' people out there.

Obito was still out there, pretending to be Madara.

Black Zetsu was still out there, plotting.

Nagato was still there, pretending to be god.

Killing Naruto (the nine tailed jinchuriki) would cause these three to behave in manners or ways I could not properly anticipate. Obito was the wildest card due to the fact that his **Kamui** was probably one of the few things that could counter my **Senjutsu Suit.** Space-Time Ninjutsu was… _tricky_ – the chakra involved far too volatile or unstable to attempt to merely absorb and disperse into the air. A few experiments, and several dead lab-interns, showed that **Space-Time Ninjutsu** could cause a variety of effects from making the suit explode, to aging the user to dust, to nearly creating a void of infinite gravity.

The last thing I wanted was to create a black hole when Obito punched me.

Likewise for Nagato. His **Preta Path** could most likely absorb the chakra straight out of the suit. He could render the suit pointless as he merely ripped out my soul. The Suit was powerful, but not absolutely invincible and if he chose to bury me within a moon.

With Naruto still alive, Obito's goal, and hence, Akatsuki's goal, remained unchanged. Form group – capture bijuu – generate eye of the moon plan.

Additionally, there was a part of me, which wanted to see, cruelly, what my influence in this world would have morphed these people into. Would Naruto still have talk-no-jutsu, despite his village being destroyed and his home gone? Would he be cheerful and bright? Or would I have created the perfect Dark-Naruto?

Possibilities, possibilities.

Still though – there was no reason for me to keep Sasuke alive. Hmm…

I clapped my hands calmly.

"Raise your heads!" I declared, rising from my seat. "I know, and I understand, that you failed the tasks I gave you. However, failure is not the end. Failure does not mean death. I believe you will eventually come to reflect on why it is you failed, and you will become better for it."

I turned to Kimimaro, who gazed at me with wonder in his eyes.

"Kimimaro, your chivalrous nature led to your downfall. Think on this, meditate on it, and know what you must do to overcome your flaws."

I turned to Haku, who looked away, her left eye obscured.

"Haku, your overconfidence led to your downfall. You must not underestimate an opponent, not even if you believe them to be worms. Your eye may be replaced," I spoke, slowly, "But only by an eye of the people you failed to defeat. Either Itachi's or Fugaku's. Prove your worth to me Haku. Show me the extent of how far you will develop. Show me your limits, and surpass them."

I turned my attention to Kitami.

"You carried out your mission perfectly, Kitami. Unfortunately my **clone** spoke out of place, spent time idiotically taunting Hiruzen and denied you the opportunity to land the killing blow. It was my error in judgement for trusting the autonomy of clones. Failing that, you did your job excellently. So, Kitami – you get a reward, anything you wish of me, you can ask."

I turned my gaze to Koyuki.

"Excellent progress Koyuki-hime. I believe you now have access to Yamanaka Inoichi's memories? Then look through them, and see if you find anything of value. Furthermore – as you were one of the few who did your job excellently, you are to meet me later in my chambers for your… reward."

I watched as Koyuki nearly squealed in glee, whilst Haku bristled in clear envy and disbelief. Well wasn't that interesting?

Then I finally turned to the **Commanders**.

"Roga, Fubuki. Excellent work. I saw your report. You cleaned up Konoha beautifully, and even managed to capture some high-profile individuals. Several Hyuga Branch House Members, the heiress of the Kurama Clan, and even a member of the Inuzuka clan. Simply excellent. You shall be rewarded for your diligence."

They both bowed.

"Now, tonight, we wine and we dine, for this is the first victory for the **Divine Empire**. The last time a village was destroyed and its members, scattered across the earth, it was Uzushiogakure, and it took the might of three invading forces to bring it to ruin, over an extended period of time. For us, in one night – we have crippled the strongest village and proven our might. We have proven to the world, the power of the Shepherd. The power of the Divine."

I gestured my hand out.

"So, we shall feast! We shall have a banquet in honor of this momentous occasion! And we shall raise toast – to the victory and dominance of the Divine Empire!"

* * *

 **XXXX**

* * *

"…Konoha was destroyed today."

"Oh? Really? **I suppose we should have seen it coming.** But what does that mean for us?"

"…It means nothing. It changes nothing. We complete the plan."

" **Are you sure?** I mean, there are a lot of unexpected changes – **Like the Mizukage. You had to kill him yourself** – after his men turned on him."

"...I suppose we can make a few… _adjustments_."

"Oh? **What exactly** **do you have in mind**?"

* * *

 **XXXX**

* * *

"We have to find a place to stay –"

"Where would we go? Another village? Would they even take us in?"

"Why wouldn't they?"

"Why would they? We shout about how we're the greatest from the rooftops, and now, now we're not. Why would they even want to listen to anything any of us have to say? We're refugees without homes!"

"C-could we go back? Maybe – maybe the Divine Empire would take us in?!"

"What? How could you fucking say that! After destroying our village – you want us to go, crawling, begging to them –"

"Well what options do we have?!"

"We can try going to a minor village – reestablish there – we still have some clans –"

"And you think they'll suddenly have houses for us? Food? Jobs? What? They'll be glad to do all of that for us without something in exchange?!"

"Hizashi-sama – what do you believe we should do?"

"Tsume-sama – please – we need a solution!"

"The Uchiha-Clan went their way! The Aburame Clan as well – does that mean – we – we're all on our own?"

"Oi! I heard you guys are refugees from Konoha! How the fucking mighty have fallen. Bah – if you're so fucking desperate and in need of a place to call home… all you have to do – is meet our priest."

"Priest?"

"Is he from the Divine Empire?"

"Another one of the Shephard's fanatics!"

"No – no – no. Not the Shepherd. Fuck that guy. I serve a different priest. He hates the Shepherd and his guts… and by the looks of things, so do you –"

"Who is your priest?"

"The one and only Paragon of the One True God… his name, is Hidan."


	16. The Little Things

**I'm BAAAACK!**

 **And Darker than Ever Baby. They tried to kill me, but they didn't know I was already dead inside. Fucking Micro-organisms.**

 **A shit ton of story Warnings apply this chapter. Like... a lot. You've been warned.**

* * *

Tomoe Mineta was a simple farmer.

His days consisted of tilling the land, planting seeds, uprooting weeds and ensuring that no nasty insects or rogue mammal would ruin his hard-gotten produce. He was an average man, coming from an average family, and knew he would never be rich nor wealthy. He would never become a noble, or, heavens forbid, one of the boogeymen of the world, a shinobi. He was reasonably content with his place in life, with his lot, and he lacked very little.

Except, he was a man. As a man, he knew that his farmlands and work would be much, much easier if he eventually got himself a wife, and a family that would help him. So, he went out, he searched, and amongst the women in his quaint little village, he chose Meguri.

Meguri's father was a fisherman and he had been good friends with his own father. The woman herself was headstrong, loud, brash, and possessed a quick witted tongue that could cut down the best of men. She was everything unlike a lady should be, and Mineta remembered occasions where she would beat full grown men in arm-wrestling contests, or lift up her skirt and tie it in order to get into a fight with men that were several feet taller than her.

Mineta was enamored.

He proposed to her, and she laughed in his face numerous times.

He didn't give up. He tried again, and again, and again, until, eventually, Meguri accepted. She was the perfect wife for him, someone who could help in his farm work and not complain. Mineta was happy.

Then, things suddenly changed.

His wife discovered a religion. _Gatoism_ , it was being called. Mineta wasn't all too interested in it. He'd been doing fine with the simple prayers he offered to his ancestors, and didn't need a new religion. His wife, although stubborn, respected his beliefs.

Except, Mineta began to notice the tiny things that happened since she joined the religion. She looked younger, more vibrant than ever. Somehow, despite passing her adolescence years ago, her breasts grew rounder, larger and firmer as time passed. Her thighs lost fat, her stomach became lean and smooth, and her hair was silkier than some of the village tailor's finest materials.

The physical changes also came with strokes of unexpected, beneficial luck. She would pick up a seemingly random hairpin on the street, only to discover that it belonged to a passing noble, and the noblewoman immediately thanked her profusely for finding it, before offering her a large bag of gold that Mineta possessed no clue how to spend it all.

She would want to go for a swim, only for it to rain that day, and somehow, the rivers and waters would be clearer than ever. She would fish, and consequently, constantly, catch the largest, most amazing fish that was in the river. She would go to the market, and randomly be offered better deals than were expected, because somehow, the shopkeepers had surplus.

This was not even accounting how quickly his wife seemed to pick up new skills and talents. She'd never been a good tailor, always despising the art of sewing because she felt she didn't have delicate fingers. Yet, after joining the religion, she found herself capable of learning and easily mastering sewing. Not just sewing, her cooking increased significantly in quality, as did her ability to sing and dance. Her voice was often enough to make Mineta lose his willpower and embrace her whenever he heard it.

Eventually, Mineta decided to give the new religion a try. _Surely_ , anything that could make him fall in love with his wife a hundred times over could not be so bad?

So, he read the **White Grimoire** , the supposed **Holy Book** of the Shepherd. He found himself following his wife to different gatherings, following the instructions, praying, singing, and more.

Seven years later, Mineta was the richest and most successful farmer in the village, and in the Northern part of his country. He was a father of two beautiful twin girls, both intelligent and even _more_ attractive than their mother. He was a respected member of the community, whose word and approval carried as much weight as that of the village's leader, and he exported his produce overseas, using the Gato Shipping Company.

There was no doubt in his mind as to where his success came from. He knew, and his wife knew as well. Whenever he forgot his prayers, neglected reading the Holy Scriptures, random events of bad, horrible luck would affect him, and as soon as he went back to fervent devotion, the bad luck vanished.

The words in the Holy Book were true. The Shepherd, he truly was the savior of mankind. There was no other explanation. He was fortunate enough to have entered the one true religion.

The problem was, not everyone agreed with him.

"HAIL JASHIN-SAMA!"

"FOR THE ONE TRUE GOD!"

A terrified scream tore through the air, and Mineta swore as he ran into the room, roaring with the fullness of his voice "MEGURI!"

There they were. Five individuals. Their appearance almost made Mineta throw up, because of what they _wore_. Fleshy material hung loosely from their loins with various haphazard stitches made from what vaguely looked like human hair. Their 'jackets' were made of this same material, except, this one also had a female human face on it, stretched to a dark caricature and used as clothing.

 _Human skin._ His mind realized. _Oh my Shepherd. They use human skin as_ clothes _._

They were ugly, grotesque, monsters of men. One of them had what appeared to be shards of glass imbedded around his chin in what was supposed to be a beard. His eyelashes were replaced with needles, and a pair of bony phalanges was sharply imbedded into his earlobes, hanging as earrings.

The others were just as revolting. One, with his stomach missing, and there being nothing but a blank hole in between his chest and his waist. On closer examination, his spine jutted out, the only link between the top and bottom parts of his body. Another was the opposite, his chest blatantly open like a jacket, revealing his internal organs and beating heart. The organs were stitched up in numerous ways, and the heart beat fast, its sound echoing in the room like drumbeats.

 _Dear Shepherd._ Mineta couldn't help it. _Monsters. They're monsters._ He lost his lunch at the sight of the men. Rice and meat rushing out of his nose and nearly blocking his airways, making him cough and vomit.

"Ne, ne –" One of the men spoke. This one was covered entirely in grotesque burns. They all seemed to be healing, but at the same time, they weren't. They were stuck in some hybrid of healing and un-healing – the burns pulsed and the man scratched at his entire body constantly, flaking away dead skin and scabs all around him as he did so. "Is – is he the one? T-th-the one H-H-Hidan-s-s-s-sama said we s-s-should go after?"

The burn-scar man stammered, his eyes wide and alert, even as he scratched and peeled away at his scabs. "C-C-Can I b-b-burn him Furaido-sama? C-c-c-can I? C-c-can I?"

"No, Ikkaman he's not the one." Furaido, the man with his chest wide open said. Before pausing. "Is he? Hanguman-san?"

Mineta's eyes whipped over to the forth man. His neck was elongated and broken in an odd angle that made it look like it was leaning forward. Lines upon lines of human-hair adorned his neck, tightened enough that the neck was small, smaller than the man's slender hands and long, bony fingers.

" _No_." The man's voice was a wispy rasp. " _He's just tonight's amusement."_

"Oh-oh-oh. Him? I thought it was going to be this delectable little _meal_ here –" The man with the missing stomach said, his foot stomping upon something that let out a strangled cry of pain.

" _Don't damage the goods too much Manyueru._ "

Mineta's eyes widened as he realized what _goods_ they were talking about. "MEGURI!"

He dashed forward, ignoring the pain and the mental warning that it was suicidal, only to stop cold when a _woman_ appeared out of nowhere, slamming him into the ground with a kick that broke several of his ribs.

He let out a strangled gasp, coughing out a glob of blood from the impact, and he realized that he couldn't move.

" _Raifusakka. We've been expecting you."_

The woman was clothed in the same flesh-loins as the rest, hers, either by design or accidental, far shorter than the others. There was a metal plate tied to a headband worn underneath, a horizontal slash running through the symbol on the metal. Her chest was barely covered, in a makeshift bra of skeletal hands, the only things which tried in vain to cover her modesty and nipples, although, it could still be seen from the right angle. Her hair was tinted red with dried blood, her eyes possessing a savage grin on it, and hanging on her neck, Mineta paled as he saw the rotting flesh of what was clearly a large penis – used as a _necklace._

"The shitty little brats almost got away. But, I managed to get them in time."

Mineta felt his blood turn cold. The woman licked her lips as she slammed her hands together. In a puff of smoke, his worst fears came to life.

"Tou-san!"

"Tou-san! Help us -!"

"Oh-Oh-Oh. _Twins_. It's been a long time since I had some twins~! Ah la! So many, many recipes – so many ways to enjoy~!" Manyueru moaned.

"N-no – p-please –" Mineta wanted to scream. He wanted to scream, but his lungs were filling with blood, and he could only gurgle out strangled gasps. _They're just children. Please – they're just –-_

"Are you five fools done toying around yet?"

Mineta looked up, staring straight into the eyes of the first man he'd seen. The man with literal glass-chin, the needle-eyebrows, and the phalange-earrings. The man's eyes lingered on him for half a second, before it turned to his daughters.

"Prepare the ritual. We sacrifice this woman and her children to Jashin-sama."

Mineta's eyes widened in horror.

"Yes, Surassha-sama." The other five answered, before each sporting different, sick, malevolent grins.

Surrasha stood over him, his earrings dangling slowly. The man's face appeared peaceful, at ease, in dire contrast to the others, who –

"TOU-SAN!"

 _NO!_

 _NO!_

"I would comfort you – if such an option existed." Surrasha said calmly. "Jashin-sama, however, would not be pleased. You must suffer, because Jashin-sama wills it. You must die, because Jashin-sama wills it. Your soul and that of your family is a present from Chaos to Death, as the gods care little for your life. You are beneath livestock."

Sick, twisted grunts of pleasure reached his ears and Mineta let tears fall freely from his eyes.

"I will grant you a final mercy, however." Surassha said, paying no heed to the sound of the grunts of pleasure, or the voices of little girls screaming for mercy. "Take this blade, and attempt, your hardest, to gain vengeance for your family."

A sharp metal kunai was dropped in his hands.

"Or alternatively, you can use the blade and end your misery."

Surassha rose up, and Mineta found himself able to move again. The paralysis holding him had ended.

"Whichever one you choose will determine where your soul shall rest until the day of reckoning."

Without thinking, without warning, without hesitation, adrenaline pumped through his body, and Mineta rose, tears streaming from his eyes as he let out a desperate roar, charging with the kunai in his hand.

It slammed straight into the _monster's_ skull, splashing blood unto Mineta's hands, even as he drove the blade deeper and deeper still.

There was a moment of silence.

"Excellent."

Mineta felt horror as he saw the smile on the insane man's face. Even as the blade rested in between his brows, he smiled, a wild, _savage_ smile. Surassha removed the blade from his skull with a sickening squelch, before turning his attention towards Mineta.

"Your soul is worthy."

It was fast. Too fast for Mineta to respond to. Too fast for a farmer like himself to react to. One second, the blade was in Surassha's hand, and the next, it was embedded into his skull. He collapsed, blood overflowing in his vision.

Mineta could only wonder, in his final moments, why, _why –_

"When you reach the Shinigami," he faintly heard. "Tell him you were sent by the Six Demises of Hidan."

 _Why had his Lord forsaken him?_

* * *

~~~~~~~~~~~~ Son of Gato ~~~~~~~~~~~

* * *

 **Mount Myoboku**

"RAAAARGGGH!"

A gargantuan ball of fire crashed against a tree, the force of the impact sending super-heated shrapnel and splinters of wood flying in all directions.

"AAAARRRRRGHHHHH!"

Another fireball, crashing into rock this time. The super-heated ball made quick work of it, melting the rock into a rough, molten form in seconds.

"Naruto! Naruto stop!"

"AAAAARGH!"

Another fireball, this time, lunged towards him. The Sage grit his teeth as he dodged the ball, marveling at the sheer heat which singed his hair and burnt pieces of his clothes as it soared by.

"Goddamn it Naruto! You need to calm down!"

The boy stood, shirtless, pure, animalistic rage on his features. Already, parts of his whiskers had darkened, his nails and grown longer, fangs protruded from his teeth, and his chakra sang with malice.

"Calm down? CALM DOWN?!" the boy roared. "They're DEAD! THEY'RE ALL DEAD! HOW CAN I CALM DOWN?! HOW THE FUCK CAN I CALM DOWN?!"

The Toad Sage's face was stony. "Do you think you're the only one grieving?"

"Fuck you!"

Jiraiya's eyes widened. "Excuse me?"

"I said: _fuck you_." Naruto snarled. "Fuck you – _fuck you._ Where were you? Where were you when the village needed you? You don't get to tell me that you're also grieving. You _don't_ , because you couldn't even _be there_ when _everyone you knew and loved died_."

"That's enough." His voice was hard.

"No, no it's not." Naruto spat. "Danzo-jiji told me about you. He said you're supposedly the greatest seal master in Konoha, but you're a failure of a person. And you - you're my _godfather_."

Jiraiya stepped back, wincing.

"I've never met you, because you'd prefer to spend the rest of your life whoring around and writing porn than _visiting your orphan godson_. Guess you didn't want to be reminded of the time you failed to save your _other_ student? Did you? You didn't want to look me in the face and see my dad, so you ran. Like a bloody _coward_." Naruto grit his teeth. "Sannin this, Sannin that. Big fucking title for someone who got his ass-kicked and only became famous for managing to lose a three-on-one fight."

"A'ight, that's enough outta ya, whippersnapper!"

Naruto turned, his anger returning as he gazed at the floating thing that smacked him on the head.

"Stay outta this you stupid frog!"

He extended his hand in a punch, only to blink as the toad caught the punch effortlessly, slamming him on his back.

 _What the…?_

"I'm a _toad_ boyo. An' ya need to watch that potty mouth of yers."

"Fuck you!" Naruto hissed, "Maybe I wouldn't have a potty mouth if I had some _parental figure_ around to teach me!"

"Y'er hurt boy." The toad said. "Y'er hurting so bad yer just wanna take it out on anyone an' anythin' don't ya? Do ya think cuttin' down Jiraiya-boyo is gonna make ya feel better?"

Naruto stopped in his tracks. The suddenness of the accusation froze him, his body twitched as he seemed caught flatfooted. There was something that flashed in his eyes. "Fuck you. You – you don't know me – you're just –"

"Yer can cry boy." The toad added, softly. "No one's gonna think any less of ya."

Naruto flinched.

"I – I don't – I'm not –" the boy's animalistic features began to fade. Slowly, his nails receded, as did his fangs. "I – I –"

His voice cracked.

"I – I failed them –" he said, his voice _broken_. "Tenten, Hokage-jiji, Teuchi, Ayame – everyone. T-they relied on me – I – I should have saved them."

Thick sobs escaped his lips.

" _Why couldn't I save them?"_

Jiraiya felt something burn in his chest. His hands curled into a tight fists as he dug his nails deep enough into it to draw blood. It stung, watching his godson ask himself the very same question Jiraiya tried and failed to answer time and time again.

" _Why couldn't I save them?_ "

Faces flashed in his vision. Konan, Yahiko, Nagato. Minato. Dan. Orochimaru. And now, most recently, the frosty wasteland encrusted in a forest of bones that was Konoha.

"Naruto –" Jiraiya tried.

" _Shut up!"_ The boy yelled. "Just – shut up. I – I need to be alone. _Please._ "

Slowly, the Toad Sage nodded. To himself, or to Naruto, he wasn't sure. He turned around, vanishing in a body flicker, as the boy's stabbing words pierced deep into him. He too, needed some time to think.

He needed to clear his head, and consider where he could go from there. It was clear that his godson was a genius like Minato, but unlike Minato, Jiraiya doubted he would ever be able to have a close relationship with the boy.

That bridge was in Konoha, and it had burned along with it.

* * *

XXXX

* * *

 **The Land of Hot Water**

 **(Jashin Country)**

 _It's all for power._

Mizuki repeated those words to himself over and over and over again.

 _This is for power._

 _This is so I can get power._

 _This is so I can get vengeance_.

Rationalization after rationalization flung to his mind. One after the other, even as he stood, shirtless, and stared upon the sight in front of him. Men, drabbed in black robes stained red, gathered over a large pentagram circle. In the middle of the circle, lay a collection of gagged young women.

Contrary to what most of his contemporaries would have believed, Mizuki wasn't an evil person. He did not torture cats in his spare time, or secretly plot to slice the throats of philanthropists. No, he was a man like any other, and like any other, he was now a man who was devoid of a home, of a job, of a purpose and direction in life.

All of this was as a result of the enemy, the _Divine Empire_ , the ones who destroyed his home and laid waste to his peaceful way of life. Directionless, he poured out his frustration in the only way he knew –

 _Vengeance._

Vengeance for what he lost. Vengeance for what he could have had. Vengeance for everyone. For everything.

What better way to gain vengeance, than to ally himself with the ones who seemed to hate the _Divine Empire_ and it's religion more than him? The enemy of my enemy is my friend, was it not?

Yet –

"You have to defile these women in the glory of Jashin-sama to become one of us."

Yet even he _balked_ at the concept.

He knew what these people were capable of, these _Jashinists,_ as he had seen one of them take a kunai to the skull, and then stand up, pull it out, and continue about his business as though it were a minor inconvenience.

 _Immortality_.

They were _immortal_.

The only cost of their immortality… was _this_.

No, not just this, he was expected to _continuously_ massacre and violate people to keep his immortality. For the rest of his life, as long as he would live, which was theoretically _forever_ , he would do this in exchange.

 _Was it worth it?_

Mizuki asked himself that question as he strode up, gazing straight into the frightful eyes of the young woman in front of him. He estimated she was about seventeen years of age. An adult by most standards.

 _Is it worth it?_

He asked himself this question as he cut off her bindings securing her hands and feet. The Jashinists said he had to do this "with her struggling and resisting throughout" as it was the only way for their god to be satisfied and accept her torture.

 _Will it be worth it?_

He wondered as he pinned the woman down as she attempted to flee, his superior strength making it an effortless task, no matter how hard she kicked and screamed and begged. He tore off the top portion of her clothes, revealing her breasts to the sharp whistles and cheers of the maniacs officiating the "ritual" who stared at the woman as though she were a hunk of meat rather than a human being.

 _Can I keep doing this?_

He thought, even as he roughly fondled her, and then tore the lower part of her robe, feeling his blood rushing in his ears and the adrenaline pumping into his system from the sight of the woman's thighs and exposed parts. He knew, numerous other men would have considered this a win-win scenario – as they would have merely kidnapped or taken a woman who jilted them one too many times, and then they would rape her, and beat her, and then kill her – and they would get immortality out of the deal. All they needed to do was to keep torturing and raping women and they kept their immortality – how was such a thing a negative in their perspectives?

 _Can you really go through with this?_

It wasn't even a question at this point. The circle on the floor had parts of his blood in it. If he refused, all it took was one of them stabbing themselves in the heart, and he would drop dead instantly. The sensory feedback was both-ways, but the difference was that he wasn't immortal. Even if he stabbed himself in the heart, it would be a minor inconvenience for them, and a death sentence for him. It was why they were so eager, because through him, they would also get to 'feel' the woman he was assaulting as though they were the ones doing the deed themselves.

A scream tore into his eardrums, and he realized that he'd stabbed his kunai into the woman's hands, and pinned them to the ground.

 _I'm really doing this –_

She was probably begging – he couldn't be sure. He couldn't be certain. He tuned out most of her words and focused on doing his task.

 _Inflict pain._

 _Inflict suffering_.

 _Appease their mad god._

 _Become immortal._

He cut her. Again, and again, in different places. Superficial wounds most of them, but wounds that would bleed. He allowed her naked body become covered with blood. He ensured he was methodological in his approach. Then, when he was certain, when he was ready –

 _I'm sorry_.

No. No he wasn't. He enjoyed it. He enjoyed the power he had over her. He enjoyed the tightness. He enjoyed deflowering her. Enjoyed hearing her screams of pains.

 _It's all for immortality._

 _It was all for revenge._

Or at least… that's what he told himself.

 _It's all for power._

* * *

XXXXX

* * *

 **Shepherd Flagship**

"Again."

"Kid – I'm not sure that's a –"

" _Again_." She hissed.

Kitami stared at the one-eyed girl in front of him. Her teeth were gnashing against each other. Her previously immaculately kept hair was scattered and sweaty. Her form and stance shook, and her body was riddled in bruises. Blood poured freely from numerous cuts across her body, yet, she stood, staring defiantly at him.

 _Oh boy…_

"It's your funeral." He said, shrugging. "Come."

She roared, letting out a manic roar as her hands blurred through movements fast enough that the air around her heated from the sheer speed and friction. Kitami had no doubt that she'd most likely given herself friction burns from performing handsigns alone, which was something he never even believed possible.

" **Ice Release: GA –** "

"Slow."

As if he was going to wait for her to launch her technique. He blurred forward, swinging his sword downward, and simultaneously, swinging it three times in three different directions.

" **Sage Art: Omnidirectional Slash.** "

Her eyes widened, and she vanished, cutting her technique off at the last second and vanishing into a small dagger of ice –

" **Sage Art: Rice-Cutter.** "

He sighed as the blade came crashing down to the side, effortlessly, and she emerged to avoid getting cut in half. Of course, she wasn't fast enough to avoid him emerging with his second sword, slamming the pommel into her stomach, and then immediately following up with a kick to her chest that certainly broke a few ribs.

She soared away from him, coughing and hacking out saliva and a little bit of blood, before crashing, heads over heels into the floor.

Kitami shook his head and ran his head through his hair. "I'm done." He said, sheathing both his blades.

"Not yet! I –"

"I have better ways to spend my time than beating up little girls." He said, "It's annoying to see you like this. You're lacking depth perception because you have one eye, and you're lacking common sense because you're too busy being pissed over the fact that you have one eye. As it is, you're weaker than you've ever been."

The girl in question winced, before gritting her teeth, turning her gaze to the ground and slamming her fist into it. She slammed her fist into it again and again, before letting out one more roar of anger.

"Why?! Why?! Why?!"

Kitami frowned, staring at the girl, and shaking his head. This was honestly out of his territory to deal with. He had enjoyed the relatively simple life he had led up till now. Gaining power, training brats, being richer than nobles, and of course, being the right-hand man of the miracle-creating maverick that was Gat. If someone had told him, a meagre ten years ago, that he would have the power to stand toe-to-toe with the God of Shinobi and utterly manhandle him in battle, he would have laughed at them before slamming a blade into their kidneys for the pathetic joke.

"Why what? Why can't you see properly with one eye? Why did you lose against Fugaku? Why am I handing you your ass when we used to be able to fight on equal terms before?" Kitami asked, "You have to be a little more specific."

She turned her glare to him, and he rolled his eyes.

"Not impressed frosty." He said, shaking his head. "You know, I just realized what your problem is. You've never failed. Because you've never failed, never lost, you've never realized or even entertained the possibility that you _can_ , that you _could_."

"But I'm Shepherd-sama's chosen! I _can't_ lose! I _shouldn't_ – not to people like _them_! Not to people who can't even see his greatness! I – I –" her voice cracked. "This is what I am! This is all I am! I live for Shepherd-sama! I would die for Shepherd-sama! I am his sword and his shield! I would do anything for him! _Anything!_ But – if I can't even smite his enemies… if I can't even help him further his goals… what good am I to him?"

He stared at the thirteen-year-old girl who knew no other life but the one she had seen. The girl whose sole purpose for living was one person and one thing. The girl who stared at him with one eye filled with questionable tears, with both hands clutched against her chest, and with confusion and uncertainty, fear and insecurity scrawled across her face.

Detaching himself from the situation, Kitami knew that Gat was responsible for this. There was no way that man was oblivious to the blatant amount of affection that this girl held for him. No, if anything, it was the opposite. Gat most certainly orchestrated events to ensure that Haku's sole purpose of living would be him and him alone.

So why had he let her fight a battle he knew she would lose?

Why had he then taken Koyuki into his quarters, fully cognizant of the bitter rivalry that existed between the two for his affection?

Kitami didn't know. As is was, and as it had been for quite a while, he chose not to question the judgement of his employer. From the days when his employer had made an entire town into his devoted servants, to the time he watched him casually converse with Orochimaru of the Sannin.

Kitami knew Gat the longest. He was arguably the person who knew Gat the best.

Considering how little he truly knew of him, that was somewhat tragic.

"I'm going to the bar to get something. I'll be needing someone to ensure I don't 'accidentally' kill the bartender for questioning how many drinks I can have."

Haku stared at him, confusion on her face for a few seconds. It took her a while to realize what he was implying, as the not-so-subtle invitation to join him for a drink came to her.

"I – I don't drink –"

"Why?"

"Because – I'm too young –"

"And who exactly is going to call you out on it? Your parents?"

"I – I can't –"

"Why?" he pressed.

"Because – Shepherd-sama wouldn't approve –"

"And who told you that?"

"Well – no one – but –"

"You make a lot of assumptions about Gat-sama, and I understand why. He saved your life, he gave you a home, shelter, food, took you in, made you strong, showered you with praise and affection – but –" Kitami closed his eyes. "Do you follow him because you are _indebted_ to him, because you feel _gratitude_ , or because you _choose_ to? Because you _want to?_ "

She, understandably bristled. "What sort of question is that?! I follow Shepherd-sama because he saved my life! Because he picked me up and chose me to be by his side!"

"And if he no longer requires you at his side?"

"He _wouldn't_ –"

"But if _he did_."

"He wouldn't."

She affirmed and Kitami couldn't tell if it was out of confidence, or desperation.

And so, he said nothing in response.

* * *

XXXXX

* * *

 **The Land of Fire**

"Is everyone in position?"

She crouched, her raven hair billowing in the wind as her eyes sharpened and narrowed down at the camp in front of them. Disgust filled her features as she watched the bandits, happily and rampantly cheering, sharing their drinks, having their fill of wine and foodstuff and _people_.

The filthy raiders and bandits needed to be exterminated. Especially considering these ones, these ones who attacked and preyed on the weak and the destitute. That preyed on the fortunate (or unfortunate) Konohan traders who had been out of the village when it fell. The traders, businessmen, and others, who returned home, only to weep as they realized there was nothing left for them there, and could not even greive their losses as they were attacked and kidnapped by scum. Their nightmares compounded, simply to feed the evil that fueled the hearts of these monsters.

"Yes, White-sama."

"Any further instructions from Black?"

"No, White-sama."

"Does Fan have any objections?"

"No, he does not."

She turned to her side, looking at him. "And you, cousin?"

The older boy shook his head, his face steeled.

"Fate has decreed that any who go against Konoha's interests will suffer retribution. I have no complaints."

She nodded, slowly, before raising her hand.

The signal was sent.

The surrounded fools did not even realize what hit them. She herself dropped in the midst of four men, her fingers blurring in a flash, light taps to their chests, before she moved onwards, grabbing the sword from the sheathe of one of the men, striking the pommel in a palm strike, and watching as it launched with a quiet _boom_ and tore through the foreheads of two others.

"SHINOBI!" one bandit rose the alarm, immediately rousing the rest of his comrades.

"What the fuck?"

"They're just fucking brats!"

She paid no heed to the designation, her eyes shining in the night, her vision becoming overwhelmingly clear as all three-hundred-and-sixty degrees became present to her. She rushed at the one who called her a 'brat', effortlessly dodging the amateurish swing of the sword, before palming his chest with a light touch, dodging the spittle of blood that escaped from his mouth, and moving on to another target.

"When I get my hands on you, you little bitch, I'm gonna enjoy –"

No more words could be uttered from the man's throat, because from behind, a shadow, solid, in the form of a tendril, pierced through the back of his throat. She turned her gaze to where a boy, clad in all black, stood, his hand in the rat-seal, his eyes burning with a strict fire.

More and more tendrils of shadows extended outwards, all of them catching numerous bandits, spearing them like they were all insects on a stick. No sooner than that was done, giant fists would blur in, smashing the dead men as projectiles into their still living comrades.

It took them only about a minute.

The large forest clearing was covered in blood, in the smell of death and putrefaction. Their job was done.

"Aw, what do we have here?"

Almost, done.

Their final challenge stood in front of them, a tall, _monstrous_ man that was clearly the leader of the group. His body was covered with intimidating battle-scars of different kinds, and there was a manic glee on his face.

He turned to her, and the manic glee turned into something that sickened her stomach.

"If it isn't The-Girl-Who-Got-Kidnapped!" he said with a laugh. "The itty-bitty Hyuga bitch who was the reason for the Konoha-Kumo war! My, my, you've come a long way haven't you?"

Warning bells rang in her head. _Not possible_. It was common knowledge, yes, but there was no way for you to _identify her_ _on_ _sight_ unless you'd seen her before. Unless you'd _been in the village_ before.

Then, she saw it, hanging loosely on his belt – a Konoha headband.

With a large slash across the middle.

 _Deserter._

 _Rogue Shinobi._

Of course. It made sense. The bandits had been far too coordinated. Not to mention too audacious. To attack and steal from merchants of Konoha so recently after it's downfall? You were either suicidal, or you had a personal vendetta.

"You're all that's left, aren't you?" The missing nin said, looking over the clearing. "Wait, no – you're… hah. The children of the major clans… I can see a Nara, a Hyuga, an Akimichi, and – my, my, is that an Uchiha over there?" The man let out a bark of laughter. "Oh this is just too fucking rich."

She didn't pay attention to his words. Instead, she turned to Black, gesturing to him in a few sharp finger-movements. _Shadow. Bind._

"So, what do I call you? Remnants? Leftovers?" The man mused, before grinning. "Ah, I know – _The Konohan Orphans._ Blunt and to the point, don't you think?"

"Shut up deserter! Our parents aren't dead!"

She winced as she turned her attention to Fan.

"And the Uchiha speaks first. So that means my first target is –"

The man _blurred._

When a foot smashed into the boy and folded him in half like a piece of paper, before sending him soaring away, she realized that they were out of their league.

"By the way," the man said, casually, "I was a Special Jonin before being declared M.I.A."

 _Incredibly_ , out of their league.

 _Escape strategy. Implement. Now._ She signed to Black.

He scowled.

 _Opponent. Within Our Capabilities._

She grit her teeth. _Not Without. Casualties._

He didn't respond. Instead, his shadows rushed forth, attempting to catch the Special Jonin, only for the man to loudly _scoff_ , before dodging them.

"Do you think I'm an idiot, Nara? Your father would be so fucking disappointed."

" _Don't talk about my –"_

"Black, _no! Don't answer him!"_

Too late. The Special Jonin appeared behind Black, an earth-shattering _smack_ echoed as he backhanded the boy like he was an abusive husband dismissing his uppity wife.

"So your parents are your berserk buttons. Isn't that a bit too obvious for group of orphans?"

She cursed.

"Now, who's my next tar –"

The 'downed' Shikamaru vanished in a puff of smoke, revealing a log of wood. To the Special Jonin's side, a pebble disappeared, a puff of smoke revealing the unharmed boy, who now turned to the Special Jonin, the man's movements mirroring his exactly.

" _You talk too much_." Black said coldly.

He reached into his pouch, the man miming his actions, but, having no pouch, reached into empty air, and could do nothing but toss his hand and throw empty air. Black, on the other hand, aimed true.

The kunai imbedded itself into the Special Jonin's skull, and Black mimed smacking his forehead with his palm. The Special Jonin did the same, and the blade buried itself all the way into the hilt.

"And you're a terrible liar, _Chunin_."

The dead Chunin plopped to the ground, completely unmoving.

White released a breath she didn't know she was holding, before turning to Black, an annoyed scowl on her face.

"You should have told me he was bluffing."

"I told you the opponent was within our capabilities." He replied blandly. "If you couldn't see that for yourself, I wonder how good those eyes of yours really are."

" _Black_ –" she warned.

Black said nothing, instead, he put his hands in his pockets, a dark look on his face, as he stared distastefully at the dead Chunin. He shook his head, before turning around.

"Our mission is complete. I'm heading back." He said, walking off. "There are clouds I have to watch."

* * *

XXXXXX

* * *

 **Shepherd Flagship**

 _Ah, Koyuki-sama is beautiful as always today –_

 _I wish I could fuck her –_

 _Damn those thighs –_

 _Shit, shit, she's heading my way! Gotta hide my boner –_

Koyuki was finding it incredibly difficult to maintain her smile around people, especially ever since attaining her new… _powers_.

 _I heard she's crazy… damn, I wonder if she's a freak in the sheets as well –_

Her smile creased a bit, and she knew that she couldn't immediately spin around and slice off the head of the soldier for his 'stray' thought. He probably would pale rather quickly if he knew what she was now capable of, not that anyone knew of course. Her power's _passive_ let her casually hear the surface thoughts of anyone and everyone around her. It was slightly, _disconcerting_ , and it caused her a little bit of a headache, but regardless, it was not enough to completely sour her mood.

 _She had access to Shepherd-sama's personal chambers!_

She almost squealed in delight at the thought. For years, for _years_ , she had imagined this day would come, the day she finally disrobed the handsome, enigmatic leader and felt _him_. _Caressed_ him. _Rubbed_ him. Oh, the sheer number of things she wanted to do to him, the sheer number of things she wanted him to do to _her_ –

Considering her dreams were often filled with wild, raunchy, and different encounters, she could only contemplate what the reality would be.

She took a deep, heavy breath, before standing in front of the door. Arguably, she was a bit nervous about entering. She wondered if she should have taken off her suit before entering. Should she have worn something else? Should she have dressed more kinkily? Or perhaps wear nothing at all –

She shook her head. She'd taken a shower, used her best perfumes, and she was a little overwhelmed by this moment. It was like finally actualizing a childhood dream.

So, she pushed the door open.

"Shepherd-sama?"

There he was, sitting in front of a table, looking over several plans. To his side, a large white polar bear, Rupert, lay on the floor, Shepherd-sama's _pet_ , and Koyuki would not deny being jealous of the polar bear who got the privilege of being used as a stool for Shepherd-sama's feet –

"Koyuki-hime."

His voice drew her attention, and she squirmed in place, uncertain and nervous, before idly wondering what sort of thoughts he had – what a man as enigmatic and as powerful as Shepherd-sama thought about her –

Only for her to _wince_ as she felt a sharp pain in her head.

 _Wha…?_

Immediately, a seal appeared on the front of her suit, spreading throughout her body and binding her in place. She froze.

" _Were you trying to read my mind, Koyuki_?"

The normally calm, placating, comforting voice was replaced with one of cold, emotionless fury, and Koyuki's entire body shuddered as she looked upon those golden eyes that lacked mirth, promising only pain and danger.

"I – I didn't mean – I wasn't – I –"

His polar bear, Rupert, stood, the creature easily towering over her at a monstrous eight feet tall, before slamming her to the ground with a mighty blow of its paw, and pinning her there. It clambered over her, it's sharp, dangerous row of teeth displaying itself as it hung over her neck. Drool and saliva dripped on her face from the creature's mouth.

"I'm sorry! Shepherd-sama! I – I'm sorry –"

Rupert stopped, his fangs and dark breaths mere inches from her face. The seals on her person vanished, and she realized she could move again.

"I understand being curious, Koyuki. I understand it very well." The Shepherd said. "However, should you ever attempt something of the sort again, I will not hesitate to _end_ you. Is that clear?"

She dipped her head as much as she could.

"Y-yes, Shepherd-sama."

Rupert stood from her, the polar bear going back to all fours, before slowly resuming his position underneath his master's feet.

Koyuki stood to her feet, feeling miserable. _She'd ruined it_. She'd ruined her reward, she'd ruined the perfect opportunity she had to enter his private quarters, the only chance she had to be embraced by him, and she'd ruined _everything_ –

"Koyuki-hime."

"Y-yes, Shepherd-sama?"

"I will give you a chance to redeem yourself, and perhaps give you an opportunity to regain your reward. Are you willing to accept this?"

Her eyes gleamed. He – he would do that?

"Y-yes, Shepherd-sama! I will do _anything_!"

The Shepherd hummed. "There is a prisoner we took from Konoha. I want you to take this girl as your student. Teach her, and make her devoted to me. The sooner you accomplish this, the sooner you get your reward."

Koyuki's nodded rapidly. "Understood, Shepherd-sama." She paused. "What is the name of this prisoner?"

The shepherd smiled.

"Yakumo Kurama."


End file.
